TWI592768B - Measurement apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Measuring device

The present invention relates to a measuring device.

A lithography process for manufacturing an electronic device (micro device) such as a semiconductor device (integrated circuit or the like), a liquid crystal display device, or the like, mainly using a stepwise and repetitive projection exposure device (that is, a stepper), or stepping And a scanning exposure device (that is, a scanning stepper (also referred to as a scanner)). Such a projection exposure apparatus has a stage device that holds a substrate such as a wafer or a glass plate (hereinafter collectively referred to as a wafer) and drives the wafer in a predetermined two-dimensional plane.

In order to perform accurate exposure, the stage device requires precise control of the position of the stage, and in order to increase the flux of the exposure operation, the stage is required to have high speed and high acceleration. In response to this demand, in recent years, a stage motor using an electromagnetic force driving method and a stage device for controlling the position of the wafer in a two-dimensional plane have been developed (for example, refer to Patent Document 1).

Further, for example, in a fifth embodiment of Patent Document 2, an exposure apparatus in which an encoder head is disposed in a concave portion formed on a flat surface of a stage is disclosed. The exposure apparatus described in Patent Document 2 accurately measures the position information of the wafer stage by injecting a measurement beam from directly below the two-dimensional grating disposed on the wafer stage.

However, in the exposure apparatus in which the encoder head is disposed in the platform disclosed in the fifth embodiment of Patent Document 2, when the wafer stage of the patent document 1 has a mover and the stage has a stator motor, the crystal is driven. When the stage is rounded, the measurement accuracy of the encoder system may be degraded due to the reaction force acting on the platform.

[Previous Technical Literature]

[Patent Literature]

[Patent Document 1] US Patent No. 6,437,463

[Patent Document 2] US Patent Application Publication No. 2008/0094594

A first aspect of the present invention provides a first exposure apparatus that exposes an object by an energy beam via an optical system supported by the first support member, and includes: a moving body that holds the object and can a specified two-dimensional plane moving; a guiding surface forming member that forms a guiding surface when the moving body moves along the two-dimensional plane; a first driving system that drives the moving body; and a second supporting member The first measurement system is disposed on the opposite side of the optical system via the guide surface forming member so as to be separated from the guide surface forming member and separated from the first support member; Irradiating the measurement beam on the measurement surface parallel to the two-dimensional plane on one of the second support members, and receiving at least a portion of the light from the measurement surface is disposed on the other of the movable body and the second support member a first measuring member that uses the output of the first measuring member to obtain position information of the moving body at least in the two-dimensional plane; and a second Measurement system, which system obtains the position information of the second support member.

Therefore, the first measurement system includes irradiating the measurement beam on a measurement surface provided on one of the movable body and the second support member, and receiving at least a part of the light from the measurement surface is provided on the other side of the movable body and the second support member. The first measuring member obtains position information of the moving body at least in a two-dimensional plane parallel to the measuring surface using the output of the first measuring member. Therefore, the influence of the environmental gas fluctuation or the like around the moving body can be suppressed, and the position information of the moving body can be accurately measured by the first measuring system. Further, at least a portion of the first measuring member or position information of the second supporting member provided with the measuring surface is measured by the second measuring system. Further, since the second support member is disposed on the opposite side of the optical system from the guide surface forming member and separated from the first support member via the guide surface forming member, the moving body is not caused by the moving body The reaction force of the driving force reduces the measurement accuracy. In addition, unlike when the first support member and the second support member are integrated, the second support member is not deformed due to internal stress (including thermal stress), and vibration is transmitted from the first support member to the second support member or the like. The accuracy of the first measurement system to measure the position information of the mobile body is reduced.

In this case, the guide surface means a guide in a direction orthogonal to the two-dimensional plane of the moving body, and may be a contact type or a non-contact type. For example, a non-contact type guiding method includes a structure using a gas static bearing such as an air cushion, or a structure using a magnetic floating. Further, it is not limited to those in which the moving body is guided in accordance with the shape of the guiding surface. For example, the structure of the gas static pressure bearing using the above-described air cushion or the like is such that the facing surface of the guide surface forming member is processed to have a good flatness with respect to the moving body, and the moving body is non-contact-guided by the designated gap according to the shape of the opposing surface. In addition, a part of a motor or the like using an electromagnetic force is disposed on the guide surface forming member, and a part of the motor is disposed on the moving body, and the two are coupled to each other to generate a force acting in a direction orthogonal to the two-dimensional plane. The force is used to control the position of the moving body on a specified two-dimensional plane. For example, it is also included that a planar motor is disposed on the guiding surface forming member, and a force including a direction orthogonal to the two directions in a two-dimensional plane and a direction orthogonal to the two-dimensional plane is generated on the moving body, and the gas static pressure is not provided. The bearing, which makes the moving body non-contact floating structure.

A second aspect of the present invention provides a second exposure apparatus that exposes an object by an energy beam via an optical system supported by the first support member, and has: a moving body that holds the object and can a specified two-dimensional plane movement; a second support member disposed apart from the first support member; a first drive system that drives the moving body; and a moving body support member from the second support member Arranging between the optical system and the second supporting member while leaving, the moving body moving along the two-dimensional plane, at least two points in a direction orthogonal to a longitudinal direction of the moving body and the second supporting member Supporting the moving body; the first measuring system includes illuminating the measuring beam on a measuring surface parallel to the two-dimensional plane provided on one of the moving body and the second supporting member, and receiving light from the measuring surface At least a part of the first measuring member provided on the other of the moving body and the second supporting member The position information of the moving body at least in the two-dimensional plane is obtained by using the output of the first measuring member; and the second measuring system determines the position information of the second supporting member.

Therefore, the first measurement system includes irradiating the measurement beam on a measurement surface provided on one of the movable body and the second support member, and receiving at least a part of the light from the measurement surface is provided on the other side of the movable body and the second support member. The first measuring member obtains position information of the moving body at least in a two-dimensional plane parallel to the measuring surface using the output of the first measuring member. Therefore, the influence of the environmental gas fluctuation or the like around the moving body can be suppressed, and the position information of the moving body can be accurately obtained by the first measuring system. Further, at least a part of the first measuring member or position information of the second supporting member provided with the measuring surface is obtained by the second measuring system. a moving body supporting member disposed between the optical system and the second supporting member by being separated from the second supporting member, when the moving body moves along the two-dimensional plane, to move the body and the second support At least two points in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the member support the moving body. In addition, unlike when the first support member and the second support member are integrated, the second support member is not deformed due to internal stress (including thermal stress), and vibration is transmitted from the first support member to the second support member or the like. The accuracy of the first measurement system to measure the position information of the mobile body is reduced.

A third aspect of the present invention provides a device manufacturing method comprising: exposing an object using any one of the first and second exposure devices of the present invention; and developing the exposed object.

5‧‧‧Liquid supply device

6‧‧‧Liquid recovery unit

8‧‧‧Local liquid immersion device

10‧‧‧Lighting system

11‧‧‧Drop line stage drive system

12‧‧‧Base

12a‧‧‧ recess

12b‧‧‧above

13‧‧‧ reticle jammer

14A, 14B‧‧‧ platform

14A ₁ , 14B ₁ ‧‧‧ Part ₁

14A ₂ , 14B ₂ ‧‧‧Part II

15‧‧‧Mobile mirror

18‧‧‧ coil unit

20‧‧‧Main control unit

31A‧‧‧Liquid supply tube

31B‧‧‧Liquid recovery tube

32‧‧‧Nozzle unit

40‧‧‧Mirror tube

50‧‧‧Terminal device

50a, 50b‧‧‧ head unit

51‧‧‧X linear encoder

52,53‧‧‧Y linear encoder

54‧‧‧ Face position measuring system

55‧‧‧X linear encoder

56, 57‧‧‧Y linear encoder

58‧‧‧ Face position measuring system

60A, 60B‧‧‧ platform drive system

62A, 62B‧‧‧ coarse motion stage drive system

64A, 64B‧‧‧Micro Motion Stage Drive System

65‧‧‧Measurement rod drive system

66A, 66B‧‧‧ Relative position measuring system

67‧‧‧Measurement rod position measurement system

68A, 68B‧‧‧ coarse motion table position measuring system

69A, 69B‧‧‧ Platform Positioning System

70‧‧‧Micro Motion Stage Positioning System

71‧‧‧Measurement rod

72‧‧‧First test head group

73‧‧‧Second measurement head group

74a, 74b‧‧‧ hanging support members

75x‧‧‧X head

75ya, 75yb‧‧‧Y head

76a~76c‧‧‧Z head

77x‧‧‧X head

77ya, 77yb‧‧‧Y head

78a, 78b, 78c‧‧‧Z head

79‧‧‧Magnetic unit

80‧‧‧ Body Department

82‧‧‧ boards

84a~84c‧‧‧Micro-motion slider

86a, 86b‧‧‧Hose

90a, 90b‧‧‧ coarse motion slider

92a, 92b‧‧‧Connected components

94a, 94b‧‧‧ Guided components

96a, 96b‧‧‧ magnet unit

98a, 98b, 98c‧‧‧ magnet unit

99‧‧‧Alignment device

100‧‧‧Exposure device

102‧‧‧Bottom surface

180‧‧‧flat members

190‧‧‧Rectangular frame members

191‧‧‧Top lens

196a, 196b‧‧‧ magnet unit

200‧‧‧Exposure Station

300‧‧‧Measurement station

AX‧‧‧ optical axis

AL1‧‧‧ primary alignment system

AL2 ₁ ~AL2 ₄ ‧‧‧Secondary alignment system

BD‧‧‧ main frame

CU, CUa~CUc‧‧‧ coil unit

FLG‧‧‧Flange

FM1, FM2‧‧‧ meter board

IA‧‧‧ exposed area

IAR‧‧‧Lighting area

IL‧‧‧Lights

Lq‧‧‧Liquid

LV, La‧‧‧ reference axis

MUa, MUb‧‧‧ magnet unit

PL‧‧‧Projection Optical System

PU‧‧‧projection unit

R‧‧‧ reticle

RG, RGa, RGb‧‧ ‧ grating

RA ₁ , RA ₂ ‧‧‧ reticle alignment system

RST‧‧‧ reticle stage

Ta ₁ , Tb ₁ , Ta ₂ , Tb ₂ ‧‧‧ hose

TCa, TCb‧‧‧ hose carrier

W‧‧‧ wafer

WFS, WFS1, WFS2‧‧‧ micro-motion stage

WCS, WCS1, WCS2‧‧‧ coarse moving stage

WST, WST1, WST2, WST3‧‧‧ Wafer Stage

The first figure schematically shows a structural view of an exposure apparatus of one embodiment.

The second drawing is a plan view of the exposure apparatus of the first figure.

The third (A) drawing is a side view of the exposure apparatus of the first drawing viewed from the +Y side, and the third (B) drawing is a side view (partial sectional view) of the exposure apparatus of the first drawing viewed from the -X side.

The fourth (A) is a plan view of the wafer stage WST1 provided in the exposure apparatus, the fourth (B) diagram is a side elevational view of the BB line section of the fourth (A) diagram, and the fourth (C) diagram is the fourth. (A) Side elevational view of the CC line section of the figure.

The fifth figure shows the structure of the micro-motion stage position measurement system.

The sixth drawing is a block diagram for explaining the input/output relationship of the main control device provided in the exposure apparatus of the first figure.

The seventh diagram shows a state in which the wafer placed on the wafer stage WST1 is exposed and wafer replacement is performed on the wafer stage WST2.

The eighth figure shows a state diagram in which wafers placed on the wafer stage WST1 are exposed, and wafers placed on the wafer stage WST2 are wafer aligned.

The ninth diagram shows a state in which the wafer stage WST2 is moved to the right emergency stop position on the stage 14B.

The tenth diagram shows a state in which the movement of the wafer stage WST1 and the wafer stage WST2 to the emergency stop position is completed.

The eleventh figure shows a state in which the wafer placed on the wafer stage WST2 is exposed and wafer replacement is performed on the wafer stage WST1.

The twelfth (A) diagram shows a plan view of the wafer stage of the modification, and the twelfth (B) diagram is a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B of the twelfth (A) diagram.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described based on the first to eleventh drawings.

The first figure schematically shows the structure of an exposure apparatus 100 of one embodiment. The exposure apparatus 100 is a projection exposure apparatus of a stepping and scanning method, that is, a scanner. As will be described later, in the present embodiment, the projection optical system PL is provided. Hereinafter, the direction parallel to the optical axis AX of the projection optical system PL is defined as the Z-axis direction, and the scanning reticle and the wafer are opposed to each other in a plane orthogonal thereto. The direction is the Y-axis direction, the direction orthogonal to the Z-axis and the Y-axis is taken as the X-axis direction, and the rotation (tilt) directions around the X-axis, the Y-axis, and the Z-axis are taken as θ x , θ y , and θ z , respectively. Direction, to explain.

As shown in the first figure, the exposure apparatus 100 includes an exposure station (exposure processing area) 200 disposed in the vicinity of the +Y side end portion of the chassis 12, and a measurement station disposed near the -Y side end portion of the chassis 12 (measurement) Processing area) 300, stage device 50 including two wafer stages WST1, WST2, and the like control system Wait. In the first figure, the wafer stage WST1 is provided in the exposure station 200, and the wafer W is held on the wafer stage WST1. Further, the wafer stage WST2 is provided in the measurement station 300, and another wafer W is held on the wafer stage WST2.

The exposure station 200 includes an illumination system 10, a reticle stage RST, a projection unit PU, a partial immersion device 8, and the like.

The illumination system 10 includes a light source, an illuminance uniformizing optical system including an optical integrator, and the like, and an illumination having a reticle blind or the like (both not shown), as disclosed in the specification of the U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0025890. Optical system. The illumination system 10 illuminates the slit-like illumination area IAR on the reticle R defined by the reticle blind (also referred to as the mask system) by illumination light (exposure light) IL with substantially uniform illumination. The illumination light IL is, for example, argon fluoride (ArF) excimer laser light (wavelength 193 nm).

On the reticle stage RST, for example, a reticle R having a circuit pattern or the like is formed by fixing it to the pattern surface (below the first figure) by vacuum suction. The reticle stage RST can be in the scanning direction by the reticle stage driving system 11 including a linear motor or the like (not shown in the first drawing, refer to the sixth drawing) (the left and right directions in the paper in the first drawing) The Y-axis direction is driven by the specified stroke and the specified scanning speed, and can also be driven in the X-axis direction.

The position information (including the rotation information in the θ z direction) of the reticle stage RST in the XY plane is fixed by the reticle laser interference detector (hereinafter referred to as "the ray interference device") 13 The moving mirror 15 of the wafer stage RST (actually, a Y moving mirror (or a backward mirror) having a reflecting surface orthogonal to the Y-axis direction and an X having a reflecting surface orthogonal to the X-axis direction are provided The moving mirror) is detected at any time, for example, at a resolution of about 0.25 nm. The measured value of the reticle jammer 13 is sent to the main control device 20 (not shown in the first figure, refer to the sixth figure). In addition, the position information of the reticle stage RST can also be measured by an encoder system as disclosed in, for example, International Publication No. 2007/083758 (corresponding to the specification of US Patent Application Publication No. 2007/0288121).

For example, as disclosed in detail in the specification of U.S. Patent No. 5,646,413, an imaging element having a CCD or the like is disposed above the reticle stage RST, and the exposure is performed. The light of the wavelength (the illumination light IL of the present embodiment) is one of the image processing methods for the illumination light for alignment to the reticle alignment system RA1, RA2 (in the first figure, the reticle alignment system RA2 is hidden in the marking The sheet is aligned with the back side of the paper on the system RA1). A pair of reticle alignment systems RA1 are used, and the RA2 is projected by the main control device 20 in a state where the measurement board described later on the fine movement stage WFS1 (or WFS2) is located directly below the projection optical system PL. The optical system PL detects a projection image formed on one of the reticle R on the reticle alignment mark (omitted pattern) and a pair of first reference marks on the corresponding measurement plate, and detects the projection optical system PL on the reticle The center of the projection area of the pattern of the sheet R and the reference position on the measurement board, that is, the positional relationship between the center of the pair of first reference marks is detected. The detection signals of the reticle alignment systems RA1, RA2 are supplied to the main control unit 20 via a signal processing system (not shown) (see Fig. 6). Alternatively, the reticle alignment system RA1, RA2 may not be provided. In this case, as disclosed in the specification of the U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2002/0041377, it is preferable to mount a detection system in which a light transmitting portion (light receiving portion) is mounted on a fine movement stage to be described later, and to detect a projection of the alignment mark of the reticle. image.

The projection unit PU is disposed below the first figure of the reticle stage RST. The projection unit PU is supported by a flange portion FLG that is fixed to the outer peripheral portion thereof by a main frame (also referred to as a weighing frame) BD horizontally supported by a support member (not shown). The main frame BD may also be configured to prevent vibration from being radiated from the outside or to prevent conduction of vibration to the outside by providing an anti-vibration device or the like on the support member. The projection unit PU includes a lens barrel 40 and a projection optical system PL held in the lens barrel 40. The projection optical system PL uses, for example, a refractive optical system composed of a plurality of optical elements (lens elements) arranged along an optical axis AX parallel to the Z-axis direction. The projection optical system PL has a specified projection magnification (for example, 1/4, 1/5 or 1/8, etc.) with telecentricity on both sides. Therefore, when the illumination area IRa on the reticle R is illuminated by the illumination light IL from the illumination system 10, the illuminating light IL is arranged by the first surface (object surface) of the projection optical system PL substantially aligned with the pattern surface. Slice R. Then, the reduced image of the circuit pattern of the reticle R in the illumination area IAR (electricity The reduced image of one of the road patterns is formed on the second surface (image surface) side of the projection optical system PL via the projection optical system PL (projection unit PU), and a resist (sensing agent) is applied to the surface. A region conjugated to the illumination region IAR on the wafer W (hereinafter also referred to as an exposure region) IA. Then, by the synchronous driving of the reticle stage RST and the wafer stage WST1 (or WST2), the illuminating area IAR (illumination light IL) is relatively moved in the scanning direction (Y-axis direction), and The exposure area IA (illumination light IL) relatively moves the wafer W in the scanning direction (Y-axis direction), and performs scanning exposure of one irradiation area (divided area) on the wafer W. Thereby, the pattern of the reticle R is transferred on the irradiation area thereof. That is, in the present embodiment, the pattern of the reticle R is generated on the wafer W by the illumination system 10 and the projection optical system PL, and the sensing layer on the wafer W is irradiated by the illumination light IL (resist layer) Exposure, while forming a pattern on the wafer W. At this time, the projection unit PU is held by the main frame BD, and the present embodiment is substantially horizontally supported by a plurality of (for example, three or four) support members disposed on the installation surface (the bottom surface or the like) via the vibration isolation mechanism. Main frame BD. Further, the anti-vibration mechanism may be disposed between each of the support members and the main frame BD. Further, for example, as disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2006/038952, the main frame BD (projection unit PU) may be suspended from the main frame member (not shown) or the reticle base or the like disposed above the projection unit PU.

The partial immersion device 8 includes a liquid supply device 5, a liquid recovery device 6 (not shown in the first drawing, refer to the sixth diagram), a nozzle unit 32, and the like. As shown in the first figure, the nozzle unit 32 surrounds and holds an optical element that is closest to the image plane side (wafer W side) of the projection optical system PL, and is a lens (hereinafter also referred to as "top lens"). The periphery of the lower end portion of the lens barrel 40 is supported by a main frame BD that supports the projection unit PU or the like via a support member (not shown). The nozzle unit 32 includes a supply port and a recovery port of the liquid Lq, a bottom surface disposed opposite to the wafer W, and a liquid supply pipe 31A and a liquid recovery pipe 31B (not shown in the first figure). Referring to the second figure, the supply flow path and the recovery flow path are connected. The liquid supply pipe 31A is connected to the other end of the supply pipe (not shown) whose one end is connected to the liquid supply device 5, and the liquid is returned. The other end of the recovery pipe (not shown) whose one end is connected to the liquid recovery device 6 is connected to the header 31B.

In the present embodiment, the main control device 20 controls the liquid supply device 5 (see Fig. 6), and supplies liquid between the tip lens 191 and the wafer W, and controls the liquid recovery device 6 (refer to Fig. 6), and from the top. Liquid is recovered between the lens 191 and the wafer W. At this time, the main control device 20 controls the amount of liquid supplied and the amount of liquid to be recovered between the tip lens 191 and the wafer W, and changes and holds a certain amount of the liquid Lq at any time (refer to the first drawing). In the liquid system of the present embodiment, pure water (refractive index n ≒ 1.44) transmitted through argon fluoride excimer laser light (light having a wavelength of 193 nm) is used.

The measurement station 300 includes an alignment device 99 provided in the main frame BD. The alignment device 99 includes five alignment systems AL1, AL2 ₁ -AL2 ₄ shown in the second figure, as disclosed in, for example, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2008/0088843. More specifically, as shown in the second figure, the line passing through the center of the projection unit PU (the optical axis AX of the projection optical system PL, this embodiment also coincides with the center of the exposure area IA described above) and parallel to the Y-axis ( Hereinafter, the main alignment system AL1 is disposed in a state where the detection center is set at a position away from the optical axis AX to the -Y side by a predetermined distance from the reference axis LV. Next to the main alignment system AL1, a secondary alignment system AL2 ₁ , AL2 ₂ and AL2 ₃ , AL2 _{4 in which the} detection center is arranged substantially symmetrically with respect to the reference axis LV is provided on one side and the other side in the X-axis direction, respectively. . That is, the detection centers of the five alignment systems AL1, AL2 ₁ to AL2 ₄ , that is, the detection centers centering on the detection system AL1, and the lines parallel to the X axis perpendicular to the reference axis LV (hereinafter referred to as the reference) Axis) La is configured. In addition, the alignment device 99 shown in the first figure includes five alignment systems AL1, AL2 ₁ -AL2 ₄ and holding means (sliders) for holding them. For example, as disclosed in the specification of the Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2009/0233234, the secondary alignment systems AL2 ₁ to AL2 ₄ are fixed to the underside of the main frame BD via a movable slider (refer to the first figure). The relative position of the detection areas is adjusted by at least the X-axis direction by a drive mechanism (not shown).

Each of the alignment systems AL1, AL2 ₁ to AL2 _{4 of the} present embodiment uses, for example, a FIA (Field Image Alignment) system of a video processing method. The structure of the alignment system AL1, AL2 ₁ to AL2 ₄ is disclosed in detail, for example, in International Publication No. 2008/056735. The image pickup signals from the respective alignment systems AL1, AL2 ₁ to AL2 ₄ are supplied to the main control device 20 via a signal processing system (not shown) (see the sixth drawing).

Further, the exposure apparatus 100 has a first loading position for performing a wafer transfer operation on the wafer stage WST1 and a second loading position for performing a wafer transfer operation on the wafer stage WST2, but is not illustrated. . In the case of this embodiment, the first loading position is provided on the platform 14A side, and the second loading position is provided on the platform 14B side.

As shown in the first figure, the stage device 50 includes: a base 12; a pair of platforms 14A, 14B disposed above the base 12 (the platform 14B in the first figure is hidden on the back side of the paper of the platform 14A); Two wafer stages WST1, WST2 moving on the guiding surface of the XY plane formed on the upper surfaces of the stages 14A, 14B; via piping, wiring system (hereinafter, referred to as a hose) Ta2, Tb2 (in the first figure) Referring to the second diagram and the third (A) diagram, the hose carriers TCa and TCb are respectively connected to the wafer stages WST1 and WST2 (the hose carrier TCb is not shown in the first figure. 2, the third (A) diagram, etc.; and a measurement system for measuring the position information of the wafer stages WST1 and WST2. Each of the wafer stages WST1 and WST2 is supplied with electric power for actuators such as sensors and motors, and for refrigerant for temperature adjustment of the actuator and air bearing, via the hoses Ta2 and Tb2. Air, etc. In addition, the following is also referred to as power, temperature adjustment refrigerant, pressurized air, and the like. When vacuum attraction is required, vacuum force (negative pressure) is also included in the force.

The base 12 is formed of a member having a flat outer shape, and as shown in the first figure, is supported on the bottom plate surface 102 substantially horizontally (parallel to the XY plane) via an anti-vibration mechanism (not shown). A concave portion 12a (a groove) extending in a direction parallel to the Y-axis is formed on the center portion of the base 12 in the X-axis direction as shown in the third (A) diagram. The upper surface side of the base 12 (however, except for the portion where the concave portion 12a is formed) accommodates the XY two-dimensional direction as the row direction and the column direction. The coil unit CU of a plurality of coils arranged in a matrix. Further, as shown in the third (A) and third (B) drawings, a plurality of XY two-dimensional directions are arranged in a matrix shape including the XY two-dimensional direction as a row direction and a column direction, as shown in the third (A) and third (B) bottom views. Coil unit 18 of the coil. The magnitude and direction of the current supplied to the plurality of coils constituting the coil unit 18 are controlled by the main control unit 20 (see FIG. 6).

As shown in the second figure, each of the stages 14A and 14B is configured by a rectangular plate-shaped member having a Y-axis direction as a longitudinal direction as viewed from a plane (viewed from above), and is disposed on the -X side of the reference axis LV and +X side. The platform 14A and the platform 14B are symmetrical with respect to the reference axis LV, and are arranged at a slight interval in the X-axis direction. Each of the upper surfaces of the stages 14A and 14B (the surface on the +Z side) is processed to have a very high degree of flatness, and functions as a guide surface in the Z-axis direction when the wafer stages WST1 and WST2 move along the XY plane, respectively. Alternatively, the wafer stages WST1 and WST2 may be magnetically floated on the stages 14A and 14B by a force acting in the Z direction by a plane motor which will be described later. In the case of this embodiment, since the gas static bearing can be used without using the structure of the planar motor, it is not necessary to increase the flatness of the upper surfaces of the stages 14A and 14B as described above.

As shown in the third figure, the platforms 14A, 14B are supported on the upper surface 12b of both side portions of the recess 12a of the base 12 via an air bearing (or rolling bearing) (not shown).

Each of the platforms 14A and 14B has a plate-shaped first portion 14A1 and 14B1 having a thinner surface on which the guide surface is formed, and a thicker and X-axis direction integrally fixed to the lower surface of the first portion 14A1 and 14B1, respectively. The second portion 14A2, 14B2 of a short plate shape. The +X side end of the first portion 14A1 of the platform 14A slightly protrudes from the +X side end surface of the second portion 14A2 on the +X side, and the -X side end of the first portion 14B1 of the platform 14B is from the second portion 14B2 - The end face on the X side slightly protrudes from the -X side. However, it is not limited to such a configuration, and it may be configured without extension.

A line including a plurality of coils arranged in a matrix in the XY two-dimensional direction as a row direction and a column direction is accommodated in each of the first portions 14A1 and 14B1. Circle unit (not shown). The magnitude and direction of the current supplied to the plurality of coils constituting each coil unit are controlled by the main control unit 20 (see FIG. 6).

In the inside (bottom) of the second portion 14A2 of the stage 14A, the coil unit CU accommodated in the upper surface side of the chassis 12 is arranged in a matrix in which the XY two-dimensional direction is arranged in the row direction and the column direction, and is plural. A permanent magnet (and a yoke (not shown)) constitutes a magnet unit MUa. The magnet unit MUa and the coil unit CU of the base 12 constitute a platform drive system 60A composed of a planar motor, for example, an electromagnetic force (Lorentz force) driving method disclosed in the specification of the US Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0085676 (refer to the sixth Figure). The platform drive system 60A generates a driving force that drives the platform 14A in three degrees of freedom directions (X, Y, θ z) in the XY plane.

Similarly, in the inside (bottom) of the second portion 14B2 of the stage 14B, a platform constituted by a planar motor that drives the stage 14B in the three-degree-of-freedom direction in the XY plane is housed together with the coil unit CU of the base 12 The drive unit 60B (see Fig. 6) has a magnet unit MUb composed of a plurality of permanent magnets (and a yoke (not shown)). Further, the arrangement of the coil unit and the magnet unit of the planar motor constituting each of the stage drive systems 60A and 60B may be reversed from the above (dynamic type) (the magnet unit is provided on the base side and the coil unit is moved on the platform side). Circle).

The positional information of the three degrees of freedom of the stages 14A, 14B is independently determined (measured) by, for example, the first and second stage position measuring systems 69A, 69B (refer to the sixth figure) including the encoder system. The respective outputs of the first and second platform position measuring systems 69A, 69B are supplied to the main control unit 20 (refer to the sixth diagram), and the main control unit 20 uses the output control of the platform position measuring systems 69A, 69B to supply the constituent platform. The magnitude and direction of the currents of the coils of the coil units of the drive systems 60A, 60B, and the position of the three degrees of freedom in the respective XY planes of the stages 14A, 14B are controlled as needed. When the main control device 20 functions as a counter mass described later on the stages 14A and 14B, the main control unit 20 returns to shift the amount of the stages 14A and 14B from the reference position within the specified range. The reference position uses (in accordance with) the output of the platform position measurement systems 69A, 69B and drives the platforms 14A, 14B via the platform drive systems 60A, 60B. That is, the platform drive systems 60A, 60B are used as Trim Motors.

The structures of the first and second stage position measuring systems 69A, 69B are not particularly limited, and for example, an encoder system that uses a scale disposed under each of the second portions 14A2, 14B2 (for example, The two-dimensional grating) is obtained by illuminating the measurement beam to obtain reflected light (diffracted light from the two-dimensional grating), and determining (measuring) the position of the encoder head in three degrees of freedom directions in the XY planes of the stages 14A and 14B. The base 12 is disposed (or the encoder head is disposed in the second portions 14A2, 14B2, and the scale is disposed on the base 12). In addition, the position information of the platforms 14A, 14B can also be obtained (measured) by, for example, a light jammer system or a combination of a light jammer system and a measurement system of the encoder system.

As shown in the second figure, the one wafer stage WST1 includes a fine movement stage (also referred to as a stage) WFS1 for holding the wafer W, and a rectangular frame-shaped coarse movement stage WCS1 surrounding the fine movement stage WFS1. As shown in the second figure, the other wafer stage WST2 includes a fine movement stage WFS2 for holding the wafer W and a rectangular frame-shaped coarse movement stage WCS2 surrounding the fine movement stage WFS2. It is understood from the second figure that the wafer stage WST2 is configured in the same manner as the drive stage and the position measurement system, except that the wafer stage WST1 is disposed in a left-right reverse state. Therefore, the wafer stage WST1 will be described below as a representative, and the wafer stage WST2 will be described only when it is particularly necessary.

As shown in the fourth (A) diagram, the coarse movement stage WCS1 has a pair of coarse motion slider portions which are arranged in parallel in the Y-axis direction and are arranged in parallel in the X-axis direction as a cube-shaped member in the longitudinal direction. 90a and 90b; and a pair of connecting members 92a each of which is formed by a member having a cubic shape in the longitudinal direction of the Y-axis direction, and a pair of coarse-moving slider portions 90a and 90b connected to the other end at one end in the Y-axis direction, 92b. In other words, the coarse movement stage WCS1 is formed in a rectangular frame shape having a rectangular opening portion penetrating in the Z-axis direction at the center portion.

As shown in the fourth (B) and fourth (C) drawings, the magnet units 96a and 96b are housed in the respective inner (bottom) portions of the coarse slider portions 90a and 90b. Magnet unit 96a, 96b corresponds to a coil unit housed inside each of the first portions 14A1 and 14B1 of the stages 14A and 14B, and is composed of a plurality of magnets arranged in a matrix in a XY two-dimensional direction as a row direction and a column direction. The magnet units 96a, 96b together with the coil units of the stages 14A, 14B constitute an electromagnetic force which can generate a driving force in a six-degree-of-freedom direction for the coarse-motion stage WCS1 as disclosed in, for example, the specification of the US Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0085676. The coarse motion stage drive system 62A is constructed by a Lorentz force driven planar motor (see Fig. 6). Further, similarly to this, the magnet unit included in the coarse movement stage WCS2 (see FIG. 2) of the wafer stage WST2 and the coil unit of the stages 14A and 14B constitute a coarse movement stage drive system composed of a planar motor. 62B (refer to the sixth figure). At this time, since the force in the Z-axis direction acts on the coarse movement stage WCS1 (or WCS2), it is magnetically floated on the stages 14A, 14B. Therefore, it is not necessary to use a gas hydrostatic bearing requiring a higher machining accuracy, and thus it is not necessary to increase the flatness of the upper surfaces of the stages 14A, 14B.

Further, in the coarse movement stages WCS1 and WCS2 of the present embodiment, only the coarse movement slider portions 90a and 90b have the configuration of the magnet unit of the planar motor. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the magnet unit may be disposed together with the connection members 92a and 92b. Further, the actuator for driving the coarse movement stage WCS1, WCS2 is not limited to the electromagnetic motor (Lorentz force) drive type planar motor, and a planar motor such as a variable reluctance drive type may be used. Further, the driving directions of the coarse movement stages WCS1, WCS2 are not limited to the six degrees of freedom direction, and may be, for example, only three degrees of freedom directions (X, Y, θ z) in the XY plane. At this time, the coarse movement stages WCS1, WCS2 can be floated on the platforms 14A, 14B by, for example, a gas static pressure bearing (for example, an air bearing). Further, the coarse motion stage drive systems 62A and 62B of the present embodiment use a moving magnet type planar motor. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and a magnet unit may be disposed on the platform, and the coil unit may be disposed on the coarse motion stage. A flat-type flat motor.

Guide members 94a and 94b that function as guiding functions when the micro-motion stage MFS1 is slightly driven are fixed to the side surface on the -Y side of the coarse motion slider portion 90a and the side surface on the +Y side of the coarse motion slider portion 90b. As shown in the fourth (B) diagram, the guide member 94a is constituted by a member having an L-shaped cross section extending in the X-axis direction, and is provided below. It is placed on the same surface as the lower surface of the coarse slider portion 90a. The guiding member 94b is bilaterally symmetrical with respect to the guiding member 94a, but has the same structure and the same arrangement.

In the inside (bottom surface) of the guide member 94a, a pair of coil units CUa and CUb each including a plurality of coils arranged in a matrix in the XY two-dimensional direction as a row direction and a column direction are accommodated at predetermined intervals in the X-axis direction (refer to Fourth (A) map). In addition, one coil unit CUc including a plurality of coils arranged in a matrix in the XY two-dimensional direction as a row direction and a column direction is housed inside the guide member 94b (see FIG. 4(A)). The magnitude and direction of the current supplied to each of the coils constituting the coil units CUa to CUc are controlled by the main control unit 20 (see FIG. 6).

The connecting members 92a and 92b are formed in a hollow shape, and a piping member, a wiring member, and the like for supplying a force to the fine movement stage WFS1 are housed therein. Various optical members (for example, a spatial image measuring device, an illuminance unevenness measuring device, an illuminance monitor, a wavefront aberration measuring device, etc.) may be housed inside the connecting members 92a and/or 92b.

At this time, when the wafer stage WST1 is driven in the Y-axis direction by the acceleration/deceleration on the stage 14A by the planar motor constituting the coarse movement stage drive system 62A (for example, when moving between the exposure station 200 and the measurement station 300) The platform 14A is driven by the reaction force driven by the wafer stage WST1, that is, in the opposite direction to the wafer stage WST1 in accordance with the so-called action reaction law (the law of conservation of motion). Further, the driving force can be generated in the Y-axis direction by the platform driving system 60A, and a state in which the above-described action reaction law is not satisfied can be formed.

Further, when the wafer stage WST2 is driven on the stage 14B in the Y-axis direction, the stage 14B also acts by the reaction force of the driving force of the wafer stage WST2, that is, according to the so-called action reaction law (the law of conservation of motion). It is driven in the opposite direction to the wafer stage WST2. That is, the platforms 14A and 14B function as a reaction object, and the amount of motion of the system including the wafer stages WST1, WST2 and the platforms 14A and 14B is conserved without causing a center of gravity movement. Therefore, there is no problem that the wafer stages WST1 and WST2 move in the Y-axis direction and the load is applied to the stages 14A and 14B. In addition, about the wafer The stage WST2 can also generate a driving force in the Y-axis direction by the stage driving system 60B, thereby forming a state in which the above-described action reaction law is not satisfied.

Further, the platforms 14A and 14B function as a reaction object by the reaction force of the driving forces of the wafer stages WST1 and WST2 in the X-axis direction.

As shown in the fourth (A) and fourth (B) drawings, the fine movement stage WFS1 includes a main body portion 80 which is formed of a member which is rectangular in plan view, and one of the side surfaces which are fixed to the +Y side of the main body portion 80. The micro-motion slider portions 84a and 84b and the micro-motion slider portion 84c fixed to the side surface on the -Y side of the main body portion 80 are provided.

The body portion 80 is formed of a material having a small coefficient of thermal expansion, such as ceramic or glass, and is in a state where the bottom surface thereof is on the same plane as the bottom surface of the coarse movement stage WCS1, and is not contacted by the coarse movement stage WCS1. Sexual support. The body portion 80 may also be hollow in order to reduce the weight. Further, the bottom surface of the main body portion 80 may not be flush with the bottom surface of the coarse movement stage WCS1.

A wafer holder (not shown) that holds the wafer W by vacuum suction or the like is disposed at the center of the upper surface of the main body portion 80. In the present embodiment, for example, a wafer holder of a so-called struts type in which a plurality of support portions (strut members) for supporting the wafer W are formed in a ring-shaped convex portion (flange portion) is used, on one surface (surface) A two-dimensional grating RG or the like to be described later is provided on the other surface (back surface) side of the wafer holder to be the wafer placement surface. Further, the wafer holder may be integrally formed with the fine movement stage WFS1 (main body portion 80), or may be provided to the main body portion 80 via a holding mechanism such as an electrostatic chuck (Chuck) mechanism or a clamp (Cramp) mechanism. Fixed by loading and unloading. At this time, the grating RG is provided on the back side of the main body portion 80. Further, the wafer holder may be fixed to the body portion 80 by being subsequently or the like. The outside of the body portion 80 is mounted on the outside of the wafer holder (the placement area of the wafer W), and as shown in the fourth (A) diagram, the center is formed one turn larger than the wafer W (wafer holder). The circular opening has a plate (recession plate) 82 corresponding to the rectangular outer shape (contour) of the body portion 80. The surface of the plate 82 is subjected to a liquid repellent treatment (forming a liquid repellent surface) to the liquid Lq. In the present embodiment, the surface of the plate 82 includes, for example, a base made of metal, ceramic, glass, or the like, and a film of a liquid repellent material formed on the surface of the base. The liquid repellent material includes, for example, PFA (tetrafluoroethylene-perfluoroalkyl vinyl ether copolymerization) Tetra fluoro ethylene-per fluoro alkylvinyl ether copolymer, PTFE (Poly tetra fluoro ethylene), Teflon (registered trademark), and the like. Further, the material for forming the film may be a propylene-based resin or a fluorene-based resin. Further, the entire plate 82 may be formed of at least one of PFA, PTFE, Teflon (registered trademark), acryl-based resin, and lanthanum resin. In the present embodiment, the contact angle of the upper surface of the plate 82 facing the liquid Lq is, for example, more than 90 degrees. The same liquid repellency treatment is also applied to the surface of the connecting member 92b described above.

The plate 82 is fixed to the upper surface of the main body portion 80 such that all (or a part of) the surface thereof is flush with the surface of the wafer W. Further, the surfaces of the plate 82 and the wafer W are located on substantially the same surface as the surface of the connecting member 92b. Further, a circular opening is formed in the vicinity of the +X side and the +Y side of the plate 82, and the measurement plate FM1 is placed in the opening so as to be substantially flush with the surface of the wafer W. A pair of first fiducial marks respectively detected by the pair of reticle alignment systems RA1, RA2 (refer to the first diagram and the sixth diagram) and the main alignment system are formed on the measurement board FM1. The second reference mark detected by AL1 (all not shown). As shown in the second figure, on the micro-motion stage WFS2 of the wafer stage WST2, in the vicinity of the corner on the -X side and the +Y side of the board 82, the surface of the wafer W is substantially flush with the surface of the wafer W. The measuring board FM1 is similar to the measuring board FM2. Alternatively, the plate 82 may be attached to the fine movement stage WFS1 (main body portion 80) to form, for example, a wafer holder integrally formed with the fine movement stage WFS1, and a surrounding area surrounding the wafer holder on the fine movement stage WFS1. (The liquid repellent treatment is performed on the upper surface of the same region as the plate 82 (which may also include the surface of the measurement plate) to form a liquid repellent surface.

As shown in the fourth (B) diagram, in the lower central portion of the body portion 80 of the fine movement stage WFS1, the lower surface thereof is located on substantially the same surface as the other portions (surrounding portions) (the lower surface of the plate does not protrude below the surrounding portion) In a state in which a wafer holder (a placement area of the wafer W) and a gauge plate FM1 (in the case of the fine movement stage WFS2, the measurement board FM2) are disposed in a thin plate-like shape of a predetermined shape. A two-dimensional grating RG is formed on one side (upper (or lower)) of the board (hereinafter referred to as raster RG). The grating RG includes a reflection type diffraction grating (X diffraction grating) having a periodic direction in the X-axis direction and a reflection type diffraction grating (Y diffraction grating) having a periodic direction in the Y-axis direction. The plate is formed, for example, by glass, and the grating RG is formed, for example, at a distance of 138 nm to 4 μm, for example, by engraving a scale of a diffraction grating at a pitch of 1 μm. In addition, the grating RG may also cover the entire lower surface of the body portion 80. Further, the type of the diffraction grating used for the grating RG may be, for example, a mechanically formed groove or the like, and may be formed by sintering a disturbing pattern on a photosensitive resin. Further, the structure of the thin plate-shaped plate is not limited to this.

As shown in the fourth (A) diagram, the pair of fine-motion slider portions 84a and 84b are planarly viewed as a substantially square plate-like member, and are spaced apart by a predetermined distance in the X-axis direction on the side of the main body portion 80 on the +Y side. Open and configured. The fine movement slider portion 84c is a flat plate-like member having a rectangular shape which is elongated in the X-axis direction, and has a straight line parallel to the Y-axis which is substantially the same as the center of the fine-motion slider portions 84a and 84b at one end in the longitudinal direction and the other end. The upper state is fixed to the side on the -Y side of the body portion 80.

The pair of fine movement slider portions 84a and 84b are respectively supported by the above-described guide member 94a, and the fine movement slider portion 84c is supported by the guide member 94b. That is, the fine movement stage WFS supports the coarse movement stage WCS at three places not on the same straight line.

In each of the fine movement slider portions 84a to 84c, the coil units CUa to CUc included in the guide members 94a and 94b of the coarse movement stage WCS1 are housed in a matrix shape by taking the XY two-dimensional direction as the row direction and the column direction. The magnet units 98a, 98b, and 98c are composed of a plurality of permanent magnets (and yokes (not shown)). The magnet unit 98a together with the coil unit CUa, the magnet unit 98b together with the coil unit CUb, and the magnet unit 98c and the coil unit CUc, respectively, are disclosed in, for example, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0085676, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Three plane motors that drive the electromagnetic force (Lorentz force) of the driving force in the axial direction, thereby forming the micro-motion stage WFS1 in six degrees of freedom (X, Y, Z, The fine movement stage drive system 64A driven by θ x, θ y and θ z) (refer to Fig. 6).

Similarly, the wafer stage WST2 is configured by the coarse movement stage WCS2. The three unit motors formed by the coil unit and the magnet unit of the fine movement stage WFS2 are constituted by three plane motors, and the micro-motion stage WFS2 is oriented in six degrees of freedom (X, Y, Z, θ x , θ y and θ z) drive the micro-motion stage drive system 64B (refer to the sixth figure).

The micro-motion stage WFS1 can extend along the X-axis direction along the X-axis direction. The guide members 94a, 94b move longer than the other five degrees of freedom. Jog The same is true for the stage WFS2.

With the above configuration, the fine movement stage WFS1 can move the coarse movement stage WCS1 in six degrees of freedom. Further, at this time, the action reaction law (the law of conservation of motion) which is the same as described above is established by the action of the reaction force driven by the fine movement stage WFS1. That is, the coarse movement stage WCS1 functions as a reaction object of the fine movement stage WFS1, and the coarse movement stage WCS1 is driven in the opposite direction to the fine movement stage WFS1. The relationship between the fine movement stage WFS2 and the coarse movement stage WCS2 is also the same.

Further, the main control device 20 of the present embodiment is in the fine movement stage WFS1. (or WFS2) When the drive is increased in the X-axis direction with acceleration and deceleration (for example, during exposure) By performing a stepping operation between the irradiation regions in the light, etc.) Drive the planar motor of system 62A (or 62B) and the jog carrier WFS1 (or WFS2) is driven in the X-axis direction. In addition, through the coarse motion stage drive system 62A (or 62B) gives the coarse motion stage WCS1 (or WCS2) to the micro The initial speed of the moving stage WFS1 (or WFS2) in the same direction (the coarse moving stage WCS1 (or WCS2) is driven in the same direction as the fine movement stage WFS1 (or WFS2). In this way, the coarse motion stage WCS1 (or WCS2) is used as a so-called counteracting work. Can, and can shorten the coarse movement stage WCS1 (or WCS2) with the micro-motion stage WFS1 (or SFW2) movement in the X-axis direction (caused by the driving force Forced) to move in the opposite direction. Especially on the micro-motion stage WFS1 (or WFS2) performs an action including a stepping movement in the X-axis direction, that is, a micro-motion Table WFS1 (or WFS2) alternately accelerates and decrements in the X-axis direction In the case of speed action, the coarse movement stage WCS1 (or WCS2) can be moved. The required stroke for the X-axis direction is the shortest. At this time, the main control device 20 also The initial velocity of the entire center of the wafer stage WST1 (or WST2) including the fine movement stage and the coarse movement stage in the X-axis direction can be imparted to the coarse movement stage WCS1 (or WCS2). Thus, the coarse movement stage WCS1 (or WCS2) moves the back and forth within the specified range with the position of the fine movement stage WFS1 (or WFS2) as a reference. Therefore, the movement stroke of the coarse movement stage WCS1 (or WCS2) in the X-axis direction is only required to have a distance in which a plurality of edges are added in the specified range. The details of this are disclosed, for example, in the specification of U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2008/0143994.

Further, as described above, since the fine movement stage WFS1 is supported by three positions not on the same straight line by the coarse movement stage WCS1, the main control unit 20 controls the Z, for example, acting on the fine movement slider portions 84a to 84c, respectively, by appropriate control. The driving force (thrust) in the axial direction can tilt the fine movement stage WFS1 (that is, the wafer W) to the XY plane in the θ x and/or θ y directions at an arbitrary angle (rotation amount). Further, the main control device 20 causes the micro-moving slider portions 84a, 84b to respectively act in the +θ x direction (the fourth (B) pattern is in the left-to-left direction of the paper surface), and causes the fine-motion slider portion 84c to function - The driving force in the θ x direction (the fourth (B) diagram is in the right direction of the paper surface) allows the center portion of the fine movement stage WFS1 to be deflected in the +Z direction (convex shape). Further, the main control device 20 can make the micro-motion stage even if the micro-motion slider portions 84a and 84b respectively act on the driving forces of the -θ y and +θ y directions (the left-turn and the right-turn are observed from the +Y side, respectively). The center of the WFS 1 is deflected in the +Z direction (convex). The main control device 20 can be similarly performed even to the fine movement stage WFS2.

Further, although the fine movement stage drive systems 64A and 64B of the present embodiment use a moving magnet type planar motor, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the coil unit may be disposed on the jog slider portion of the fine movement stage, and the coarse movement load may be used. A moving coil type planar motor of a magnet unit is disposed on the guiding member of the table.

As shown in the fourth (A) diagram, a pair of hoses 86a, 86b are interposed between the coupling member 92a of the coarse movement stage WCS1 and the body portion 80 of the fine movement stage WFS1 for conduction supply to the joint member 92a from the outside. Apply force to the fine movement stage WFS1. In addition, the drawings including the fourth (A) diagram are omitted, but the actual The upper pair of hoses 86a, 86b are each formed by a plurality of hoses. One end of each of the hoses 86a, 86b is connected to the side surface on the +X side of the joint member 92a, and the other end has a specified depth formed by a specified length in the +X direction from the end face of the -X side on the upper surface of the body portion 80, respectively. One of the pair of recesses 80a (see the fourth (C) diagram) is connected to the inside of the body portion 80. As shown in the fourth (C) diagram, the hoses 86a, 86b do not protrude above the upper surface of the fine movement stage WFS1. As shown in the second figure, between the connecting member 92a of the coarse movement stage WCS2 and the main body portion 80 of the fine movement stage WFS2, a pair of hoses 86a, 86b are also provided for conduction from the outside to the connection member 92a. Apply force to the fine movement stage WFS2.

In the present embodiment, since the fine movement stage drive systems 64A and 64B use three plane motors of the moving magnet type, the force other than electric power is transmitted between the coarse movement stage and the fine movement stage via the hoses 86a and 86b. In addition, instead of the hoses 86a and 86b, the structure and method disclosed in, for example, International Publication No. 2004/100237 can be used to conduct the force between the coarse movement stage and the fine movement stage in a non-contact manner.

As shown in the second figure, one of the hose carriers TCa is connected to the piping member and the wiring member inside the connecting member 92a of the coarse movement stage WCS1 via the hose Ta2. As shown in the third (A) diagram, the hose carrier TCa is disposed on the step formed at the end on the -X side of the base 12. The hose carrier TCa is driven in the Y-axis direction by the wafer stage WST1 by an actuator such as a linear motor on the step of the base 12.

As shown in the third (A) diagram, the other hose carrier TCb is disposed on the step formed on the +X side end of the base 12, and is connected to the connection of the coarse movement stage WCS2 via the hose Tb2. A piping member and a wiring member inside the member 92a (refer to the second drawing). The hose carrier TCb is driven in the Y-axis direction following the wafer stage WST2 by an actuator such as a linear motor on the step of the base 12.

As shown in the third (A) diagram, the hose carriers TCa and TCb are respectively connected to one end and connected to a soft power supply device (such as a power source, a gas tank, a compressor, a vacuum pump, etc.) (not shown) provided outside. The other end of the tube Ta1, Tb1. The force to be supplied from the force supply device to the hose carrier TCa via the hose Ta1 is not shown in the connection member 92a of the coarse movement stage WCS1 via the hose Ta2. The piping member, the wiring member, and the hoses 86a and 86b are supplied to the fine movement stage WFS1. Similarly, the force applied from the force supply device to the hose carrier TCb via the hose Tb1 is a piping member, a wiring member, and a soft member (not shown) that are accommodated in the connecting member 92a of the coarse movement stage WCS2 via the hose Tb2. The tubes 86a and 86b are supplied to the fine movement stage WFS2.

Next, a measurement system for measuring the position information of the wafer stages WST1 and WST2 will be described. The exposure apparatus 100 includes a fine movement stage position measuring system 70 (refer to FIG. 6) for measuring position information of the fine movement stages WFS1 and WFS2, and a coarse movement stage position measuring system for measuring position information of the coarse movement stage WCS1 and WCS2. 68A, 68B (refer to Figure 6).

The fine movement stage position measuring system 70 has a measuring rod 71 as shown in the first figure. As shown in the third (A) and third (B) diagrams, the measuring rod 71 is disposed below each of the first portions 14A1, 14B1 of the pair of stages 14A, 14B. As shown in the third (A) and third (B) drawings, the measuring rod 71 is constituted by a beam-shaped member having a rectangular cross section in the longitudinal direction in the Y-axis direction. A magnet unit 79 including a plurality of magnets is disposed inside (bottom) the measuring rod 71. The magnet unit 79 and the coil unit 18 described above constitute a gauge lever drive system 65 (refer to the sixth diagram), which is an electromagnetic force that can drive the gauge lever 71 in six degrees of freedom (Lorentz) The force motor is driven by a planar motor.

The measuring rod 71 is floatingly supported (non-contact supported) on the base 12 by the driving force in the +Z direction generated by the planar motor of the measuring rod drive system 65. The +Z side half (upper half) of the measuring rod 71 is disposed between the second portions 14A2, 14B2 of the stages 14A, 14B, and the -Z side half (lower half) is received in the base 12. Inside the recess 12a. Further, a predetermined play is formed between the measuring rod 71 and each of the stages 14A, 14B and the base 12, and they are in a mechanical non-contact state.

The gauge lever drive system 65 can be configured to prevent external disturbances such as vibration of the bottom plate from being transmitted to the measuring rod 71. In the case of the present embodiment, since the planar motor can generate the driving force in the Z-axis direction, the measuring lever 71 can be controlled by the measuring rod drive system 65 to eliminate the external disturbance. In addition, the measuring rod When the drive system 65 cannot apply the force in the Z-axis direction to the measurement lever 71, for example, a member (coil unit 18 or magnet unit 79) provided on the bottom plate side via the anti-vibration mechanism may be provided in the measurement lever drive system. Prevent external disturbances such as vibration. However, it is not limited to such a structure.

The measuring rod 71 is formed by a material having a low coefficient of thermal expansion (for example, invar or ceramic). Further, the shape of the measuring rod 71 is not particularly limited. For example, the cross section may be circular (cylindrical) or trapezoidal or triangular. Further, it is not necessarily required to be formed by an elongated member such as a rod or a beam member.

A concave portion which is rectangular in plan view is formed on each of the +Y side and the -Y side end portion of the measuring rod 71, and a reflective diffraction grating including the X-axis direction as a periodic direction is formed on the surface of the concave portion, respectively. a diffractive grating and a thin plate-shaped plate of a two-dimensional grating RGa, RGb (hereinafter simply referred to as a grating RGa, RGb) which is a reflection type diffraction grating (Y diffraction grating) in the periodic direction in the Y-axis direction (refer to the second figure and Third (B) map). The plate is formed, for example, by glass, and the gratings RGa and RGb have the same pitch of the diffraction grating as the grating RG described above, and are formed in the same manner.

At this time, as shown in the third (B) diagram, the hanging support members 74a and 74b are fixed to the lower surface of the main frame BD with the Z-axis direction being one of the longitudinal directions. Each of the pair of hanging support members 74a, 74b is constituted, for example, by a columnar member, one end (upper end) of which is fixed to the main frame BD, and the other end (lower end) and a grating disposed on the measuring rod 71 via a designated play. RGa and RGb are opposite each other. In the lower end portions of the pair of hanging support members 74a and 74b, the same light source as the encoder head disclosed in the specification of International Publication No. 2007/083758 (corresponding to the specification of U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2007/0288121) is incorporated. A pair of head units 50a and 50b of a diffraction interference type encoder head formed by a light receiving system (including a photodetector) and various optical systems.

Each of the pair of head units 50a and 50b has a one-dimensional encoder head for X-axis direction measurement (hereinafter referred to as an X head) and a one-dimensional encoder head for Y-axis direction measurement (hereinafter referred to as a Y-head) (all are not shown). .

The X head and the Y head belonging to the head unit 50a illuminate the measurement light on the grating RGa And, by receiving the diffracted light of the X-diffraction grating and the Y-diffraction grating from the grating RGa, respectively, the measurement center of the head unit 50a is used as a reference, and the measurement rod 71 (grating RGA) is measured in the X-axis direction and Y, respectively. Position information in the direction of the axis.

Similarly, the X head and the Y head belonging to the head unit 50b illuminate the measuring beam on the grating RGb, and the measuring center of the head unit 50b is received by respectively receiving the diffracted light of the X diffraction grating and the Y diffraction grating from the grating RGb. For the reference, the position information of the measuring rod 71 (grating RGb) in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction is measured separately.

At this time, since the head units 50a and 50b are fixed to the inside of the hanging support members 74a and 74b having a fixed positional relationship with the main frame BD supporting the projection unit PU (projection optical system PL), the measurement of the head units 50a and 50b is performed. The positional relationship between the center and the main frame BD and the projection optical system PL is fixed. Therefore, the positional information of the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction of the measurement rod 71 as the reference of the measurement center of the head units 50a and 50b is respectively the X-axis direction of the measurement rod 71 with the main frame BD (the upper reference point) as a reference. The position information in the Y-axis direction is equivalent.

In other words, a pair of Y linear encoders that measure the position of the measuring rod 71 in the Y-axis direction by using the main frame BD (the upper reference point) as a reference by one of the head units 50a and 50b, respectively. A pair of X linear encoders that measure the position of the measuring rod 71 in the X-axis direction by using the main frame BD (the upper reference point) as a reference are defined by the pair of head units 50a and 50b, respectively.

Each of the measured values of a pair of X heads (X linear encoder) and a pair of Y heads (Y linear encoders) is supplied to the main control unit 20 (refer to FIG. 6), and the main control unit 20 is based on a pair of Y linear encoders. The average value of the measured value is used to calculate the relative position of the measuring lever 71 in the Y-axis direction of the main frame BD (the upper reference point), and the measuring rod 71 is calculated for the main frame BD based on the average value of the measured values of the pair of X linear encoders. The relative position of the (top reference point) in the X-axis direction. Further, the main controller 20 calculates the position of the measurement lever 71 in the θ z direction (the amount of rotation around the Z axis) based on the difference between the respective measured values of the pair of X linear encoders.

Furthermore, each of the head units 50a, 50b has, for example, a CD drive The optical pickup device used in the same manner is the same as the Z-head of the optical displacement sensor (omitted from the figure). Specifically, the head unit 50a has two Z heads disposed apart from each other in the X-axis direction, and the head unit 50b has one Z head. That is, the three Z heads are arranged in three places that are not on the same line. The three Z-heads are configured to illuminate the measuring beam parallel to the Z-axis on the surface of the plate forming the gratings RGa, RGb of the measuring rod 71 (or the forming surface of the reflective diffraction grating), and receive the surface by the plate (or reflection) The reflected light reflected by the forming surface of the diffraction grating is used as a reference, and the surface position (position in the Z-axis direction) of the measuring rod 71 at each irradiation point is measured with reference to the head units 50a and 50b (the measurement reference surface). Surface position measurement system. The main controller 20 calculates the position of the measurement rod 71 in the Z-axis direction and the rotation amount in the θ x and θ y directions of the measurement lever 71 with the main frame BD (the measurement reference surface) as a reference based on the measured values of the three Z-heads. Also. When the Z heads are disposed at three places that are not on the same straight line, the arrangement thereof is not limited thereto. For example, three Z heads may be disposed in one head unit. In addition, the position information of the measuring rod 71 can be measured, for example, by a light jammer system including a light jammer. At this time, the measurement beam irradiated from the photointerferometer and the surrounding ambient gas, for example, a tube for preventing air (anti-fluctuation tube) may be fixed to the hanging support members 74a and 74b. Further, the number of encoder heads of X, Y, and Z is not limited to the above, and for example, the number may be further increased and selectively used.

The exposure apparatus 100 of the present embodiment constitutes the measurement gauge 71 by the plurality of encoder heads (X linear encoder, Y linear encoder) and Z head (surface position measurement system) included in the head units 50a and 50b. A measuring rod position measuring system 67 for the relative position of the main frame BD in the six degrees of freedom direction (refer to the sixth drawing). The main control device 20 measures the relative position of the measuring rod 71 to the main frame BD at any time according to the measured value of the measuring rod position measuring system 67, and controls the measuring rod driving system 65 so that the relative position of the measuring rod 71 and the main frame BD does not change. The position of the measuring rod 71 is controlled in the same manner as in the case where the measuring rod 71 and the main frame BD are integrally formed.

As shown in the fifth figure, the first measuring head group 72 used for measuring the position information of the fine movement stage (WFS1 or WFS2) located under the projection unit PU is provided in the measuring rod 71, and the measurement is located below the alignment unit 99. The second measurement head group 73 used for the position information of the jog stage (WFS1 or WFS2). In addition, in order to facilitate the understanding of the drawings, the fifth figure shows the alignment systems AL1, AL2 ₁ to AL2 ₄ by dashed lines (two-point chain lines). In addition, the fifth figure omits the illustration of the symbols of the alignment systems AL2 ₁ to AL2 ₄ .

As shown in FIG. 5, the first measurement head group 72 is disposed below the projection unit PU, and includes a one-dimensional encoder head for X-axis direction measurement (hereinafter referred to as an X head or an encoder head) 75x, and a pair of Y-axis. The one-dimensional encoder head (hereinafter referred to simply as the Y head or the encoder head) 75ya, 75yb, and the three Z heads 76a, 7b6, and 76c are used for the direction measurement.

The X head 75x, the Y head 75ya, the 75yb, and the three Z heads 76a to 76c are disposed inside the measurement rod 71 in a state where the position thereof does not change. The X head 75x is disposed on the reference axis LV, and the Y heads 75ya and 75yb are disposed apart from the same distance on the X-head 75x-X side and the +X side, respectively. The three encoder heads 75x, 75ya, and 75yb of the present embodiment use the same light source as the encoder head disclosed in, for example, the International Patent Publication No. 2007/083758 (corresponding to the specification of the US Patent Application Publication No. 2007/0288121). A diffraction-type head that is unitized by a light-receiving system (including a photodetector) and various optical systems.

Each of the X heads 75x and the Y heads 75ya and 75yb is formed on the platform via the gap between the platform 14A and the platform 14B when the wafer stage WST1 (or WST2) is located directly below the projection optical system PL (refer to the first figure). The light transmitting portions (for example, openings) of the respective first portions 14A1 and 14B1 of 14A and 14B illuminate the measuring beam on the grating RG disposed under the fine movement stage WFS1 (or WFS2) (see the fourth (B) diagram). Furthermore, each X head 75x, Y head 75ya, 75yb obtains the position information of the fine movement stage WFS1 (or WFS2) in the XY plane by receiving the diffracted light from the grating RG (also includes the rotation information in the θ z direction). ). That is, the X linear encoder 51 is constructed by measuring the X head 75x of the fine movement stage WFS1 (or WFS2) in the X-axis direction by using the X-ray diffraction grating of the grating RG (refer to Fig. 6). Further, by using the Y-diffraction grating of the grating RG, one of the positions of the fine movement stage WFS1 (or WFS2) in the Y-axis direction is paired with the Y heads 75ya, 75yb to form a pair of Y linear encoders 52, 53. (Refer to the sixth figure). The respective measured values of the X head 75x, the Y head 75ya, and the 75yb are supplied to the main control device 20 (refer to the sixth drawing), and the main control device 20 measures the fine movement stage WFS1 (or WFS2) using the measured value of the X head 75x. The position in the X-axis direction is measured (calculated) by the average value of the measured values of the pair of Y heads 75ya and 75yb in the Y-axis direction. Further, the main control unit 20 measures (calculates) the position of the fine movement stage WFS1 (or WFS2) in the θ z direction (the amount of rotation around the Z axis) using the respective measured values of the pair of Y linear encoders 52 and 53.

At this time, the irradiation spot (detection point) of the measurement beam irradiated from the X head 75x on the grating RG coincides with the exposure position of the center of the exposure area IA (refer to the first drawing) on the wafer W. Further, the center of the pair of irradiation points (detection points) of the measurement beam irradiated from the pair of Y heads 75ya and 75yb on the grating RG, and the irradiation point of the measurement beam irradiated from the X head 75x on the grating RG (detection point) ) Consistent. The main control unit 20 calculates position information of the fine movement stage WFS1 (or WFS2) in the Y-axis direction based on the average of the measured values of the two Y heads 75ya and 75yb. Therefore, the positional information of the fine movement stage WFS1 (or WFS2) in the Y-axis direction is substantially measured at the exposure position of the irradiation area (exposure area) IA center of the illumination light IL irradiated on the wafer W. That is, the X-head 75x measurement center and the two Y-head 75ya, 75yb substantial measurement centers are consistent with the exposure position. Therefore, the main control device 20 can perform position information of the fine movement stage WFS1 (or WFS2) in the XY plane at any time directly below (the back surface) by using the X linear encoder 51 and the Y linear encoders 52, 53. Measurement (including rotation information in the θ z direction).

For the Z heads 76a to 76c, for example, an optical displacement sensor head similar to the optical pickup device used in a CD drive device or the like is used. The three Z heads 76a to 76c are disposed at positions corresponding to the respective vertices of the isosceles triangle (or equilateral triangle). Each of the Z heads 76a to 76c faces the lower surface of the fine movement stage WFS1 (or WFS2), and irradiates the measurement beam parallel to the Z axis from below, and receives the surface of the plate formed by the grating RG (or the formation surface of the reflection type diffraction grating) ) reflected light reflected. Thereby, each of the Z heads 76a to 76c is configured to measure the fine movement stage WFS1 (or WFS2) at each irradiation point. The surface position measurement system 54 (refer to the sixth drawing) of the surface position (position in the Z-axis direction). The respective measured values of the three Z heads 76a to 76c are supplied to the main control unit 20 (refer to the sixth drawing).

In addition, the three illumination points of the measurement beam irradiated from the three Z heads 76a to 76c on the grating RG are respectively the center of gravity of the isosceles triangle (or equilateral triangle) of the vertex, and the exposure area IA on the wafer W (refer to The first picture shows the same exposure position at the center. Therefore, the main control device 20 can obtain the position information (surface position information) of the fine movement stage WFS1 (or WFS2) in the Z-axis direction immediately below the exposure position according to the average value of the measured values of the three Z heads 76a to 76c. . Further, the main control unit 20 uses (according to) the measured values of the three Z heads 76a to 76c, and adds the position of the fine movement stage WFS1 (or WFS2) in the Z-axis direction, and measures (calculates) the θ x direction and the θ y direction. The amount of rotation.

The second measurement head group 73 includes an X head 77x constituting the X linear encoder 55 (refer to the sixth diagram), a pair of Y linear encoders 56 and 57 (refer to the sixth diagram), and Y heads 77ya and 77yb. And three Z heads 78a, 78b, 78c constituting the surface position measuring system 58 (refer to Fig. 6). The positional relationship of the Y head 77x as a reference to the Y head 77ya, 77yb and the three Z heads 78a to 78c, and the X head 75x as a reference to the Y head 75ya, 75yb and the three Z heads 76a The positional relationship of ~76c is the same. The irradiation point (detection point) of the measurement beam on the grating RG from the X-head 77x illumination coincides with the detection center of the main alignment system AL1. That is, the X-77x measurement center and the two Y-head 77ya, 77yb substantial measurement centers are consistent with the detection center of the main alignment system AL1. Therefore, the main control device 20 can measure the position information and the surface position information of the fine movement stage WFS2 (or WFS1) in the XY plane at any time with the detection center of the main alignment system AL1.

Further, the X heads 75x and 77x and the Y heads 75ya, 75yb, 77ya, and 77yb of the present embodiment are respectively arranged in a unit such as a light source, a light receiving system (including a photodetector), and various optical systems (not shown). The inside of the rod 71, but the structure of the encoder head is not limited thereto. For example, the light source and the light receiving system may be disposed outside the measuring rod. In this case, for example, it may be separately via an optical fiber or the like. The optical system and the light source and the light receiving system disposed inside the measuring rod are connected. Further, the encoder head may be disposed outside the measuring rod, and only the measuring beam may be guided to the grating via the optical fiber disposed inside the measuring rod. In addition, the rotation information of the wafer in the θ z direction can also be measured using a pair of X linear encoders (in this case, only one Y linear encoder can be used). In addition, the position information of the micro-motion stage can also be measured, for example, using a light jammer. Further, instead of the heads of the first measurement head group 72 and the second measurement head group 73, at least one XZ encoder head having the X-axis direction and the Z-axis direction as the measurement direction and the Y-axis direction may be included. The total of the three encoder heads of the YZ encoder head in the Z-axis direction as the measurement direction is designed to be the same as the X head and the pair of Y heads described above.

Further, the measuring rod 71 may be divided into a plurality of pieces. For example, it may be divided into a portion having the first measurement head group 72 and a portion having the second measurement head group 73, and each portion (meter) is used as a reference for detecting the main frame BD with the main frame BD (measurement reference plane) as a reference. The relative position is controlled, and its positional relationship is controlled to be constant. In this case, the head units 50a and 50b may be provided at both ends of the respective portions (meters), and the positions of the respective portions (meters) in the Z-axis direction and the amounts of rotation in the θx and θy directions may be calculated.

The coarse movement stage position measuring system 68A (refer to the sixth drawing) measures the position of the coarse movement stage WCS1 (wafer stage WST1) when the wafer stage WST1 moves between the exposure station 200 and the measurement station 300 on the stage 14A. News. The structure of the coarse movement stage position measuring system 68A is not particularly limited, and includes an encoder system or an optical jammer system (the optical interference system and the encoder system can also be combined). When the coarse movement stage position measuring system 68A includes the encoder system, for example, it can constitute a moving path along the wafer stage WST1, and a plurality of encoder heads fixed to the main frame BD in a hanging state, and the measuring beam is fixed. (Or formed) a scale (for example, a two-dimensional grating) on the coarse movement stage WCS1, and receives the diffracted light to measure the position information of the coarse movement stage WCS1. When the coarse motion stage position measuring system 68A includes the optical jammer system, an X-ray interference device and a Y-light interference device each having a long axis parallel to the X-axis and the Y-axis may be formed, and the long-length beam is irradiated to the thick Move the side of the WCS1 and measure the reflected light Location information of wafer stage WST1.

The coarse movement stage position measuring system 68B (refer to the sixth drawing) has the same configuration as the coarse movement stage position measuring system 68A, and measures the position information of the coarse movement stage WCS2 (wafer stage WST2). The main control unit 20 individually controls the coarse movement stage drive systems 62A, 62B based on the measured values of the coarse movement stage position measuring systems 68A, 68B to control the coarse movement stages WCS1, WCS2 (wafer stages WST1, WST2). Various locations.

Further, the exposure apparatus 100 further includes relative position measuring systems 66A and 66B for measuring the relative positions of the coarse movement stage WCS1 and the fine movement stage WFS1 and the relative positions of the coarse movement stage WCS2 and the fine movement stage WFS2 (refer to the sixth drawing). ). The configuration of the relative position measuring systems 66A and 66B is not particularly limited, and can be configured, for example, by a gap sensor including a capacitance sensor. In this case, the gap sensor can be configured, for example, by a probe portion fixed to the coarse movement stage WCS1 (or WCS2) and a target portion fixed to the fine movement stage WFS1 (or WFS2). Further, the configuration of the relative position measuring system is not limited thereto, and for example, a relative position measuring system may be constructed using a linear encoder system, an optical jammer system, or the like.

The sixth diagram shows a control system mainly constituting the exposure apparatus 100, and shows a block diagram of the input/output relationship of the main control unit 20 that controls the structure of each unit. The main control device 20 includes a workstation (or a microcomputer) and the like, and centrally controls the aforementioned partial immersion device 8, platform drive systems 60A, 60B, coarse motion stage drive systems 62A, 62B, and fine motion stage drive systems 64A, 64B, etc. The structure of each part of the exposure apparatus 100.

Next, the parallel processing operation using the two wafer stages WST1 and WST2 will be described based on the seventh to eleventh drawings. Further, in the following operation, the main control device 20 controls the liquid supply device 5 and the liquid recovery device 6 as described above, and by holding a certain amount of liquid Lq directly under the distal end lens 191 of the projection optical system PL, The immersion area is formed at any time.

The seventh figure shows that in the exposure station 200, the wafer W placed on the fine movement stage WFS1 of the wafer stage WST1 is subjected to stepping and scanning exposure, and at the second loading position, at the wafer transfer mechanism ( No picture) and wafer stage The state of wafer replacement between the WST2 of the WST2 micro-motion stage.

The stepping and scanning mode exposure operation is performed by the main control device 20 according to the wafer alignment result performed beforehand (for example, the irradiation on the wafer W obtained by the enhanced full wafer alignment (EGA)) The alignment coordinates of the region are converted into the coordinates of the coordinates using the second reference mark on the measurement board FM1 as a reference, and the result of the alignment of the reticle, and the irradiation of the wafer stage WST1 onto the wafer W is repeatedly performed. The movement between the irradiation regions (stepping between irradiations) for moving the start scanning position (starting acceleration position) for the area exposure, and the irradiation for transferring the pattern formed on the reticle R to the wafer W by the scanning exposure method The scanning exposure action of the area. In the stepping and scanning operation, the wafer stage WST1 moves in the Y-axis direction during scanning exposure, for example, and as described above, the stages 14A and 14B function as a reaction object. Further, in order to perform the stepping operation between the irradiations, when the main control unit 20 drives the fine movement stage WFS1 in the X-axis direction, the coarse movement stage WCS1 is given to the fine movement stage by applying the initial speed to the coarse movement stage WCS1. The function of the internal reaction. Therefore, the movement of the wafer stage WST1 (the coarse movement stage WCS1 and the fine movement stage WFS1) does not cause the stages 14A, 14B to vibrate, and does not adversely affect the wafer stage WST2.

The above-described exposure operation is performed in a state in which the liquid Lq is held between the tip lens 191 and the wafer W (the wafer W and the plate 82 depending on the position of the irradiation region), that is, by liquid immersion exposure.

In the above-described series of exposure operations, the exposure apparatus 100 of the present embodiment measures the position of the fine movement stage WFS1 by the first measurement head group 72 of the fine movement stage position measuring system 70 by the main control unit 20, and based on the measurement result. Control the position of the fine movement stage WFS1 (wafer W).

When the wafer is replaced by the micro-motion stage WFS2 in the second loading position, the exposed wafer is unloaded from the fine movement stage WFS2 by the wafer transfer mechanism (not shown), and the new wafer is loaded into the micro-motion. The stage is carried out on the stage WFS2. At this time, the second loading position is the position where the wafer replacement is performed on the fine movement stage WFS2. This embodiment is defined as positioning the micro-motion stage WFS2 of the measurement board FM2 directly under the main alignment system AL1 (wafer stage) The location of WST2).

After the wafer replacement and wafer replacement described above, when the wafer stage WST2 is stopped at the second loading position, the main control device 20 starts wafer alignment (and other previous processing measurements) on the new wafer W. Previously, the second measuring head group 73 of the fine movement stage position measuring system 70, that is, the reset of the encoders 55, 56, 57 (and the surface position measuring system 58) is executed (reset of the origin).

After the wafer replacement (loading a new wafer W) and the reset of the encoders 55, 56, 57 (and the surface position measuring system 58) are completed, the main control unit 20 detects the measurement board FM2 using the primary alignment system AL1. Second benchmark mark. Then, the main control device 20 detects the position of the second reference mark which is the reference index center of the main alignment system AL1, and measures the position of the micro-motion stage WFS2 by the encoders 55, 56, 57 according to the detection result and the detection. As a result, the position coordinates of the second reference mark in the orthogonal coordinate system (aligned coordinate system) in which the reference axis La and the reference axis LV are used as the coordinate axes are calculated.

Next, the main control unit 20 measures the position coordinates of the fine movement stage WFS2 (wafer stage WST2) in the coordinate system using the encoders 55, 56, 57, and performs EGA (refer to FIG. 8). In detail, the main control device 20 discloses a wafer stage WST2, for example, even if the coarse movement stage WCS2 supporting the fine movement stage WFS2 moves in the Y-axis direction, for example, in the specification of the US Patent Application Publication No. 2008/0088843. The positioning of the fine movement stage WFS2 is performed at a number of positions on the moving path, and at least one of the alignment systems AL1, AL2 ₁ to AL2 ₄ is used for positioning, and the alignment marks are aligned in the alignment illumination area (sampling illumination area). The position coordinates in the coordinate system. The eighth figure shows the case of the fine movement stage WFS2 when the alignment mark is detected at the position coordinates in the coordinate system.

In this case, each of the alignment systems AL1, AL2 ₁ to AL2 ₄ and the wafer stage WST2 are moved in the Y-axis direction, and the detection is sequentially arranged in the detection area (for example, the irradiation area corresponding to the detection light). A plurality of alignment marks (sample marks) arranged along the X-axis direction. Therefore, when the alignment mark is measured, the wafer stage WST2 is not driven in the X-axis direction.

Then, the main control device 20 according to the position coordinates of the plurality of alignment marks attached to the sample irradiation area on the wafer W and the position coordinates on the design, the execution example The statistical operations (EGA operations) disclosed in the specification of U.S. Patent No. 4,780,617, etc., are used to calculate the position coordinates (arranged coordinates) of the plurality of illumination regions in the alignment coordinate system.

Further, in the exposure apparatus 100 of the present embodiment, since the measurement station 300 is separated from the exposure station 200, the main control unit 20 subtracts the previously detected position coordinates of the respective irradiation areas on the wafer W obtained from the wafer alignment result. The position coordinates of the second reference mark determine the position coordinates of the plurality of irradiation areas on the wafer W having the position of the second reference mark as the origin.

Usually the wafer replacement and wafer alignment procedure described above ends earlier than the exposure procedure. Therefore, when the wafer alignment is completed, the main controller 20 drives the wafer stage WST2 in the +X direction and moves to the designated standby position on the stage 14B. At this time, when the wafer stage WST2 is driven in the +X direction, the fine movement stage WFS is deviated from the range that can be measured by the fine movement stage position measuring system 70 (that is, each of the measurement beams irradiated from the second measurement head group 73 exceeds the grating RG). ). Therefore, the main control device 20 determines the position of the coarse movement stage WCS2 based on the measurement value of the fine movement stage position measurement system 70 (encoders 55, 56, 57) and the measurement value of the relative position measurement system 66B, and then, based on the coarse The measurement value of the moving stage position measuring system 68B controls the position of the wafer stage WST2. That is, the position of the wafer stage WST2 in the XY plane is measured from the encoders 55, 56, 57, and is switched to the measurement using the coarse movement stage position measuring system 68B. Then, the main control device 20 waits for the wafer stage WST2 to stand by at the designated standby position before the exposure of the wafer W on the fine movement stage WFS1 is completed.

When the exposure of the wafer W on the fine movement stage WFS1 is completed, the main controller 20 starts driving the wafer stages WST1 and WST2 toward the respective right emergency stop positions shown in FIG. When the wafer stage WST1 is driven to the right emergency stop position and is driven in the -X direction, the fine movement stage WFS1 can be separated from the fine movement stage position measuring system 70 (encoders 51, 52, 53 and the surface position measuring system 54) (also That is, the measurement beam irradiated from the first measurement head group 72 exceeds the grating RG). Therefore, the main control unit 20 obtains the coarse motion stage based on the measured value of the fine movement stage position measuring system 70 (encoder 51, 52, 53) and the measured value of the relative position measuring system 66A. The position of the WCS1, after which the position of the wafer stage WST1 is controlled based on the measured value of the coarse stage position measuring system 68A. That is, the main control unit 20 measures the position of the wafer stage WST1 in the XY plane from the encoders 51, 52, 53 and switches to the measurement using the coarse movement stage position measuring system 68A. Further, at this time, the main control unit 20 measures the position of the wafer stage WST2 using the coarse movement stage position measuring system 68B, and drives the wafer stage WST2 on the stage 14B to be + as shown in the ninth figure. Y direction (refer to the hollow arrow in the ninth figure). The platform 14B functions as a reaction object by the reaction force of the driving force of the wafer stage WST2.

Further, while the main control unit 20 and the wafer stages WST1, WST2 are moving toward the right emergency stop position, the fine movement stage WFS1 is driven in the +X direction according to the measured value of the relative position measurement system 66A, and is close to or in contact with the coarse The stage WCS1 is moved, and the fine movement stage WFS2 is driven in the -X direction according to the measured value of the relative position measuring system 66B, and is close to or in contact with the coarse movement stage WCS2.

Then, in a state where the two wafer stages WST1 and WST2 are moved to the right emergency stop position, as shown in FIG. 10, the wafer stage WST1 and the wafer stage WST2 are in an emergency stop state in which the wafer stage WST2 approaches or contacts in the X-axis direction. At the same time, the fine movement stage WFS1 and the coarse movement stage WCS1 are in an emergency stop state, and the coarse movement stage WCS2 and the fine movement stage WFS2 are in an emergency stop state. Then, the upper surface of the fine moving stage WFS1, the connecting member 92b of the coarse movement stage WCS1, the connecting member 92b of the coarse movement stage WCS2, and the fine movement stage WFS2 are formed on the entire surface of the entire surface.

As the wafer stages WST1 and WST2 move in the -X direction while maintaining the above three emergency stop states, the liquid immersion area (liquid Lq) formed between the tip lens 191 and the fine movement stage WFS1 is moved to the fine movement stage WFS1, coarse The connecting member 92b of the movable stage WCS1, the connecting member 92b of the coarse movement stage WCS2, and the fine movement stage WFS2 are sequentially moved. The tenth graph shows the state before the movement of the liquid immersion area (liquid Lq) starts. In addition, when the wafer stage WST1 and the wafer stage WST2 are driven while maintaining the above three emergency stop states, it is preferable to prevent or suppress leakage of the liquid Lq. The gap between the wafer stage WST1 and the wafer stage WST2 (play), the gap between the fine movement stage WFS1 and the coarse movement stage WCS1 (play), and the gap between the coarse movement stage WCS2 and the fine movement stage WFS2 (play). In this case, the proximity is also included in the case where the gap (play) between the two members in the emergency stop state is zero, that is, the case where the two are in contact.

When the movement of the immersion liquid area (liquid Lq) onto the fine movement stage WFS2 is completed, the wafer stage WST1 moves on the stage 14A. Therefore, in order to move the main control unit 20 to the first loading position shown in FIG. 11, the position is measured using the coarse stage position measuring system 68A, and the wafer stage WST1 is moved on the stage 14A. In the Y direction, move further in the +X direction. In this case, when the wafer stage WST1 moves in the -Y direction, the platform 14A functions as a reaction object by the reaction force of the driving force. Further, when the wafer stage WST1 is moved in the +X direction, the platform 14A functions as a reaction object by the reaction force of the driving force.

After the wafer stage WST1 reaches the first loading position, the main control unit 20 measures the position of the wafer stage WST1 in the XY plane, and switches from the measurement using the coarse movement stage position measuring system 68A to the encoder 55, 56, 57 measurement.

Simultaneously with the movement of the wafer stage WST1, the main control unit 20 drives the wafer stage WST2 and positions the measurement board FM2 directly below the projection optical system PL. Prior to this, the main control device 20 measures the position of the wafer stage WST2 in the XY plane, and switches from the measurement using the coarse movement stage position measuring system 68B to the measurement using the encoders 51, 52, and 53. Then, using the reticle alignment system RA1, RA2 detects one of the first fiducial marks on the measuring board FM2, and detects the reticle alignment mark on the reticle R corresponding to the first fiducial mark on the wafer surface. The relative position of the projected image. Further, the detection is performed via the projection optical system PL and the liquid Lq forming the liquid immersion area.

The main control device 20 calculates the reticle R based on the relative position information detected at this time and the position information of each irradiation area on the wafer W based on the second reference mark on the previously obtained fine movement stage WFS2. The projection position of the pattern (the projection center of the projection optical system PL) and the placement on the fine movement stage WFS2 The relative positional relationship of each of the irradiation regions on the wafer W. The main controller 20 manages the position of the fine movement stage WFS2 (wafer stage WST2) in the same manner as in the case of the wafer W placed on the fine movement stage WFS1, and transfers it by stepping and scanning. The pattern of the reticle R is applied to each of the irradiation regions on the wafer W placed on the fine movement stage WFS2. The eleventh figure shows the case where the pattern of the reticle R is transferred in each of the irradiation regions on the wafer W.

At the same time as the exposure operation of the wafer W on the fine movement stage WFS2, the main control unit 20 performs wafer replacement between the wafer transfer mechanism (not shown) and the wafer stage WST1 at the first loading position. A new wafer W is placed on the fine movement stage WFS1. At this time, the first loading position is the position where the wafer is replaced on the wafer stage WST1. This embodiment is defined as positioning the micro-motion stage WFS1 of the measuring board FM1 directly under the main alignment system AL1 (wafer stage) The location of WST1).

Then, the main control unit 20 detects the second fiducial mark on the measuring board FM1 using the main alignment system AL1. Further, before detecting the second reference mark, the main control device 20 executes the second measurement head group 73 of the fine movement stage position measuring system 70, that is, the encoder 55, in a state where the wafer stage WST1 is at the first loading position. , 56, 57 (and surface position measurement system 58) reset (reset of origin). Thereafter, the main control unit 20 manages the position of the wafer stage WST1, and performs wafer alignment on the wafer W on the fine movement stage WFS1 using the alignment systems AL1, AL2 ₁ to AL2 ₄ as described above (EGA) ).

When the wafer alignment (EGA) of the wafer W on the fine movement stage WFS1 is completed and the exposure of the wafer W on the fine movement stage WFS2 is also completed, the main control unit 20 faces the wafer stage WST1, WST2 toward the left side. Emergency stop position drive. The left emergency stop position is a positional relationship between the wafer stage WST1 and the WST2 at a position on the right side of the emergency stop shown in FIG. 10 that is bilaterally symmetrical with respect to the reference axis LV. The position measurement of the wafer stage WST1 in the drive to the left emergency stop position is performed in the same order as the position measurement of the wafer stage WST2.

The left emergency stop position is still the wafer stage WST1 and the wafer stage WST2 are in the aforementioned emergency stop state, and at the same time, the fine movement stage WFS1 and the coarse movement stage The WCS1 is in an emergency stop state, and the coarse motion stage WCS2 and the fine movement stage WFS2 are in an emergency stop state. Then, the upper surface of the fine-acting stage WFS1, the connecting member 92b of the coarse movement stage WCS1, the connecting member 92b of the coarse movement stage WCS2, and the fine movement stage WFS2 form an all-plane surface which is integrated in appearance.

The main controller 20 drives the wafer stages WST1, WST2 in the +X direction opposite to the previous one while maintaining the above three emergency stop states. At the same time, the liquid immersion area (liquid Lq) formed between the tip lens 191 and the fine movement stage WFS2 is connected to the fine movement stage WFS2, the connection member 92b of the coarse motion stage WCS2, and the connection member of the coarse movement stage WCS1. 92b, the micro-motion stage WFS1 moves in sequence. Of course, when moving in the emergency stop state, the position measurement of the wafer stages WST1 and WST2 is performed in the same manner as before. When the movement of the liquid immersion area (liquid Lq) is completed, the main controller 20 starts exposure of the wafer W on the wafer stage WST1 in the same order as described above. Simultaneously with the exposure operation, the main controller 20 drives the wafer stage WST2 to the second loading position in the same manner as described above, and replaces the exposed wafer W on the wafer stage WST2 with a new wafer W, and Wafer alignment is performed on the new wafer W.

Thereafter, the main control device 20 repeatedly executes the above-described parallel processing operations using the wafer stages WST1 and WST2.

As described above, the exposure apparatus 100 of the present embodiment measures the position information of the fine movement stage WFS1 (or WFS2) of the holding wafer W during the exposure operation and the wafer alignment (mainly during the measurement of the alignment mark). (Position information and surface position information in the XY plane) The first measurement head group 72 and the second measurement head group 73 fixed to the measurement rod 71 are used. Then, since the encoder heads 75x, 75ya, 75yb and the Z heads 76a to 76c constituting the first measurement head group 72, and the encoder heads 77x, 77ya, 77yb and the Z heads 78a to 78c constituting the second measurement head group 73, The grating RG disposed on the bottom surface of the fine movement stage WFS1 (or WFS2) can be irradiated with the measurement beam from the immediately below the shortest distance. Therefore, the temperature of the ambient gas around the wafer stage WST1, WST2 varies, for example, due to air fluctuation. The measurement error caused by the measurement is small, and the position information of the WFS of the micro-motion stage can be accurately measured.

In addition, the first measurement head group 72 measures the position information and the surface position information of the micro-motion stage WFS1 (or WFS2) in the XY plane at a point substantially coincident with the exposure position of the center of the exposure area IA on the wafer W, and second. The measurement head group 73 measures position information and surface position information of the fine movement stage WFS2 (or WFS1) in the XY plane at a point substantially coincident with the center of the detection area of the main alignment system AL1. Therefore, the Abbe error due to the position error of the measurement point and the exposure position in the XY plane can be suppressed, and based on this, the position information of the fine movement stage WFS1 or WFS2 can be accurately obtained.

In addition, the measuring rod 71 having the first measuring head group 72 and the second measuring head group 73 is based on the measured value of the measuring rod position measuring system 67, and the main control unit is maintained in such a manner that the relative position of the main frame BD is constant. 20, the position of the six degrees of freedom direction is controlled at any time via the measuring rod drive system 65. Therefore, the main control device 20 can pass at least one of the fine movement stage drive system 64A and the coarse movement stage drive system 62A (or the fine movement stage drive system 64B and the thick according to the position information measured by the first measurement head group 72). At least one of the movable stage drive system 62B precisely controls the position of the wafer stage WST1 (or WST2) to be held by the optical axis of the projection optical system PL of the lens barrel 40 as a reference. In addition, the main control device 20 can pass at least one of the fine movement stage drive system 64A and the coarse movement stage drive system 62A (or the fine movement stage drive system 64B and the thick according to the position information measured by the second measurement head group 73). At least one of the movable stage drive system 62B) precisely controls the position of the wafer stage WST1 (or WST2) which is mainly aligned with the detection center of the system AL1. Further, since the measuring rod 71 and the stages 14A, 14B, the base 12, and the like are in a mechanical non-contact state, even if the stages 14A, 14B have the stator constituting the planar motor, the measuring rod 71 and thus the first measuring head group 72 and the second measuring head The group 73 is still not affected by the reaction force of the driving forces of the wafer stages WST1, WST2. Further, since the measuring rod 71 is disposed mechanically separated from the main frame BD under the platforms 14A and 14B, it is different from the main frame BD and the measuring rod 71, and is not caused by internal stress (including thermal stress). The deformation of the measuring rod 71 (for example, twisting) and the vibration are transmitted from the main frame BD to the measuring rod 71, etc., resulting in measurement of the micro-motion stage position. The system 70 measures the accuracy of the position information of the fine movement stage WFS1 (or WFS2).

Further, in the wafer stage WST1 and WST2 of the present embodiment, the coarse movement stage WCS1 (or WCS2) is disposed around the fine movement stage WFS1 (or WFS2), so that the coarse movement stage is mounted on the coarse movement stage. The wafer stage of the micro-motion structure can reduce the size of the wafer stage WST1 and WST2 in the height direction (Z-axis direction). Therefore, the action point of the thrust of the planar motor constituting the coarse motion stage drive systems 62A, 62B (i.e., between the bottom surface of the coarse motion stage WCS1 (or WCS2) and the upper surfaces of the platforms 14A, 14B) can be shortened, and the wafer stage The distance between the center of gravity of WST1 and WST2 in the Z-axis direction can reduce the pitching moment (or overturning moment) when driving the wafer stage WST1 and WST2. Therefore, the operations of the wafer stages WST1 and WST2 are stable.

Further, in the exposure apparatus 100 of the present embodiment, the platforms on which the guide surfaces of the wafer stages WST1 and WST2 move along the XY plane are formed by the two stages 14A and 14B corresponding to the two wafer stages WST1 and WST2. Since the two stages 14A, 14B independently function as a reaction object when the wafer stages WST1, WST2 are driven by the planar motor (the coarse stage driving system 62A, 62B), even if, for example, the wafer stage WST1 is used When the wafer stage WST2 is driven in the opposite directions to the Y-axis directions on the stages 14A, 14B, respectively, the reaction forces acting on the stages 14A, 14B can be individually eliminated.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, a coarse movement stage which is moved in the XY two-dimensional direction within a predetermined range on the platform and a coarse movement stage which is micro-driven on the coarse movement stage is used as a crystal. The case of the circular stage is described, but is not limited thereto, and the structure of the wafer stage can be variously modified. Fig. 12(A) is a plan view showing a modification of the wafer stage of the above embodiment, and Fig. 12(B) is a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B of Fig. 12(A). The wafer stage WST3 according to the modification shown in the twelfth (A) corresponds to the member 180 of the fine movement stage of the above-described embodiment (the flat member having the wafer W on the lower surface and the grating RG on the lower surface) The member 190 which is a rectangular frame shape as viewed from the plane corresponding to the coarse movement stage is integrally fixed, and the overall shape is formed into a flat shape. Wafer stage WST3 points There are magnet units 196a and 196b at the ends of the +Y and -Y sides. The wafer stage WST3 is a planar motor which can generate a thrust in six degrees of freedom by the magnet units 196a and 196b and a coil unit (not shown) of the stage, and is driven along the XY plane on the platform (that is, The flat motor functions as a drive system for rough and micro motion. In addition, the planar motor can also be a moving magnetic type or a moving coil type, and any one can be applied.

Further, in the above embodiment, the main control unit 20 controls the position of the measuring rod 71 so that the relative position of the projection optical system PL does not change based on the measured value of the measuring rod position measuring system 67, but Not limited to this. For example, the position of the measuring rod 71 may not be controlled, and the position information measured by the measuring rod position measuring system 67 and the position information measured by the fine movement stage position measuring system 70 (for example, by measurement) may be used by the main control unit 20. The measured value of the rod position measuring system 67 corrects the measured value of the micro-motion stage position measuring system 70), drives the coarse-moving stage driving system 62A, 62B and/or the fine-motion stage driving system 64A, 64B to control the fine-motion stage WFS1, The location of WFS2.

Further, the exposure apparatus of the above embodiment has two stages corresponding to two wafer stages, but the number of stages is not limited thereto, and may be, for example, one or three or more. Further, the number of wafer stages is not limited to two, and may be one or three or more. For example, a measurement stage having a spatial image measuring instrument, an illuminance unevenness measuring instrument, an illuminance monitor, a wavefront aberration measuring instrument, and the like disclosed in the specification of the US Patent Application Publication No. 2007/0201010 can be disposed on the platform.

Further, the position at which the platform or the base member is separated into a plurality of boundary lines is not limited to the position of the above embodiment. The above embodiment is set so as to include the reference axis LV and intersect the optical axis AX. For example, when there is a boundary in the exposure station, the boundary line may be set elsewhere when the thrust of the planar motor is weakened.

In addition, the measuring rod 71 can also support the middle portion (may also be in a plurality of places) in the longitudinal direction on the base by the self-weight canceller disclosed in the specification of the US Patent Application Publication No. 2007/0201010.

In addition, the motor that drives the platforms 14A, 14B on the base 12 is not limited to electricity. A planar motor of a magnetic (Lorentz force) driving type, for example, a planar motor (or a linear motor) of a variable reluctance driving type. Further, the motor is not limited to a planar motor, and may be a voice coil motor including a mover fixed to a side of the platform and a stator fixed to the base. In addition, the platform can also be supported on the base via a self-weight canceller as disclosed in, for example, the specification of US Patent Application Publication No. 2007/0201010. Furthermore, the driving direction of the platform is not limited to three degrees of freedom, and may be, for example, six degrees of freedom, only the Y-axis or only XY. In this case, the platform can also be floated on the base by a gas static bearing such as an air bearing. Further, when the moving direction of the stage is only the Y-axis direction, the stage may be mounted on the Y guiding member extending in the Y-axis direction so as to be movable in the Y-axis direction.

Further, in the above embodiment, the grating is disposed on the lower surface of the fine movement stage, that is, the surface opposite to the upper surface of the stage. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the main body of the fine movement stage may be used as a light permeable solid member to It is disposed on the upper part of the body. In this case, since the distance between the wafer and the grating is close to that of the above embodiment, the exposure surface of the wafer including the exposure point and the reference of the position of the fine movement stage by the encoders 51, 52, 53 can be reduced. Abbe error due to the difference in the Z-axis direction of the surface (the arrangement surface of the grating). In addition, a grating can also be formed on the back side of the wafer holder. In this case, even if the wafer holder is inflated during exposure or the mounting position is deviated from the fine movement stage, the position of the wafer holder (wafer) can be measured following it.

Further, in an example of the above-described embodiment, the case where the encoder system includes the X head and the pair of Y heads is described. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, two directions of the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction may be used as the measurement direction. The two-dimensional head (2D head) is placed in one or two measuring rods. In the case where two 2D heads are provided, these detection points may also be formed on the grating centered on the exposure position and away from the same distance in the X-axis direction. Further, in the above embodiment, the number of heads of each head group is one X head and two Y heads, respectively, but it may be further increased. In addition, the first measurement head group 72 on the side of the exposure station 200 may further have a plurality of header groups. For example, it can be placed in the exposure position (the irradiation area in the wafer W exposure) The head group is further set around each of the head groups corresponding to the position (the four directions of the +X, +Y, -X, and -Y directions). Then, the position of the fine movement stage (wafer W) before the exposure of the irradiation area can be measured by pre-reading. Further, the configuration of the encoder system constituting the fine movement stage position measuring system 70 is not limited to the above embodiment, and may be any configuration. For example, a 3D head that can measure position information in each of the X-axis, the Y-axis, and the Z-axis can be used.

Further, in the above embodiment, the measurement beam emitted from the encoder head and the measurement beam emitted from the Z head are respectively irradiated to the grating of the fine movement stage via the gap between the two stages or the light transmission portion formed on each of the stages. In this case, the light transmitting portion may be formed on the stages 14A and 14B, respectively, by forming holes and the like which are slightly larger than the beam diameter of each of the measuring beams, in consideration of the range of movement of the reaction objects as the stages 14A and 14B, and passing the measuring beam. These multiple openings. Further, for example, a pencil type head may be used for each of the encoder heads and the respective Z heads, and an opening portion into which the heads are inserted in each of the stages may be formed.

Further, in the above embodiment, the coarse motion stage drive systems 62A and 62B that drive the wafer stages WST1 and WST2 are exemplified by a planar motor, and are formed along the wafer stage by the stages 14A and 14B having the stator portions of the planar motor. WST1, the case where the guide surface (the surface that generates the force in the Z-axis direction) when moving in the XY plane of WST2. However, the above embodiment is not limited to this. Further, in the above embodiment, the measuring surface (grating RG) is designed on the fine movement stage WFS1, WFS2, and the first measuring head group 72 (and the second) composed of the encoder head (and the Z head) is provided on the measuring rod 71. Although the measurement head group 73) is used, the above embodiment is not limited thereto. That is, contrary to the above, the encoder head (and the Z head) may be provided on the fine movement stage WFS1, and the measurement surface (grating RG) may be formed on the side of the measurement rod 71. Such an opposite arrangement can be applied, for example, to a stage device in which an electron beam exposure device or an EUV exposure device or the like is used in a so-called H-type stage in which a magnetic floating stage is combined. Since the stage of the stage device is supported by the guide bar, a scale bar disposed opposite the stage is disposed below the stage (corresponding to forming a diffraction grating on the surface of the measuring rod) And configuring at least a part of the encoder head (optical system, etc.) under the opposite stage. The situation In this case, the guide surface forming member is constituted by the guide rod. Of course, it can be other structures. The grating RG may be provided on the side of the measuring rod 71, and may be, for example, the measuring rod 71, or a plate of a non-magnetic material or the like provided on the platform 14A (14B).

Further, when the measuring device 100 of the above-described embodiment measures the position of the measuring rod 71 by the measuring rod position measuring system 67, for example, from the viewpoint of accurately controlling the position of the wafer W (micro-motion stage) during exposure, the first configuration should be performed. The vicinity of the position of the measurement head group 72 (substantial measurement center exposure position) is used as a measurement point. However, when observing the above-described embodiment, it is understood from the fifth diagram that the gratings RGa and RGb are disposed at both end portions in the longitudinal direction of the measuring rod 71, and the positions of the gratings RGa and RGb are measured at the position of the measuring rod 71. point. In this case, since the measurement point is in the vicinity of the position where the first measurement head group 72 is disposed in the X-axis direction, the influence is small even if the position measurement is performed. However, in the Y-axis direction, since the positions of the gratings RGa and RGb are apart from the positions at which the first measurement head group 72 is disposed, they may be affected by deformation of the measuring rod 71 between the two positions. Therefore, in order to accurately measure the position of the measuring rod 71 in the Y-axis direction, and precisely control the position of the wafer W (micro-motion stage) according to the measurement result, for example, in order to sufficiently improve the rigidity of the measuring rod 71, or to measure The deformation of the rod 71 or the like causes a position measurement error of the measuring rod, and measures such as the relative position of the measuring rod 71 and the projection optical system PL by the measuring device are taken. In the latter case, for example, an interferometer system that measures the position of the wafer stage and the position of the measuring rod 71 by using a fixed mirror (reference mirror) fixed to the projection optical system PL as a reference can be used.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the connection member 92b provided in each of the coarse movement stages WCS1 and WCS2 is described, and the liquid immersion area (liquid Lq) is transferred between the fine movement stage WFS1 and the fine movement stage WFS2, and the liquid immersion area (liquid) Lq) is always maintained under the projection optical system PL. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the shutter member (not shown) having the same configuration as that disclosed in the third embodiment of the specification of the U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0211920 can be replaced with the wafer stage WST1, WST2. And move under the projection optical system PL The liquid immersion area (liquid Lq) is always maintained below the projection optical system PL.

Further, a temperature sensor, a pressure sensor, an acceleration sensor for vibration measurement, and the like may be provided in the measuring rod 71. Further, a strain sensor, a displacement sensor, or the like that measures the deformation (twisting or the like) of the measuring rod 71 may be provided. The position information obtained by the fine movement stage position measuring system 70 and the coarse movement stage position measuring system 68A, 68B can also be corrected using the values obtained by the sensors.

In addition, the case where the above embodiment is applied to the stage device (wafer stage) 50 of the exposure apparatus will be described, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and may be applied to the reticle stage RST.

Further, in the above embodiment, the grating RG may be protected by a protective member, for example, by a cover of a glass cover. The glass cover may be disposed to cover substantially all of the underside of the body portion 80, or may be disposed to cover only a portion of the underside of the body portion 80 including the grating RG. Further, since the protective grating RG requires a sufficient thickness, a plate-shaped protective member should be used, but a film-shaped protective member can also be used depending on the material.

In addition, the other side of the transparent plate fixed or forming the grating RG may be disposed in contact with or close to the back surface of the wafer holder, and a protective member (glass cover) may be disposed on one side of the transparent plate, or There is no protective member (glass cover), and one side of the transparent plate to which the grating RG is fixed or formed is brought into contact with or close to the back surface of the wafer holder. In particular, the former may be replaced with a transparent plate to fix or form a grating RG on an opaque member such as ceramic, or a grating RG may be fixed or formed on the back surface of the wafer holder. In the latter case, even when the wafer holder is inflated during exposure or the mounting position is deviated from the fine movement stage, the position of the wafer holder (wafer) can be measured following it. Alternatively, only the wafer holder and the grating RG may be held on the previous micro-motion stage. Further, the wafer holder may be formed by a solid glass member, and the grating RG may be disposed on the upper surface (wafer placement surface) of the glass member.

Further, in the above embodiment, the wafer stage combination rough moving stage and the micro are exemplified. The case of the coarse and fine movement stage of the movable stage is not limited thereto. Further, the fine movement stages WFS1 and WFS2 of the above-described embodiment can be driven in all six degrees of freedom directions, but are not limited thereto, and only need to be movable in parallel two-dimensional planes at least on the XY plane. Furthermore, the fine movement stage WFS1, WFS2 can also be contacted and supported by the coarse movement stage WCS1 or WCS2. Therefore, the fine movement stage drive system for driving the fine movement stage WFS1, WFS2 to the coarse movement stage WCS1 or WCS2 may be, for example, a combination rotary motor and a ball screw (or a feed screw).

Alternatively, the fine movement stage position measuring system may be configured to perform position measurement in the entire moving range region of the wafer stage. In this case, the coarse movement stage position measuring system is not required.

Further, the wafer used in the exposure apparatus of the above embodiment may be any of various sizes of wafers such as a 450 mm wafer and a 300 mm wafer.

Further, in the above embodiment, the exposure apparatus is a liquid immersion type exposure apparatus. However, the present embodiment is not limited thereto, and the above-described embodiment can be suitably applied to a dry type in which the wafer W is exposed without passing through a liquid (water). Exposure device.

Further, in the above embodiment, the case where the exposure apparatus scans the stepper is described. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the above embodiment may be applied to a static exposure apparatus such as a stepping machine. Even if it is a stepper or the like, the position of the stage on which the object to be exposed is mounted is measured by the encoder, and the position measurement error caused by the air fluctuation can be made almost zero. Thus, the stage can be accurately positioned based on the measured value of the encoder, with the result that the precise reticle pattern can be transferred to the object. Further, the above embodiment can also be applied to a step-and-stitch-type reduced projection exposure apparatus that synthesizes an irradiation area and an irradiation area.

Further, the projection optical system in the exposure apparatus of the above embodiment is not only a reduction system but also an equal magnification system or an expansion system, and the projection optical system is not only a refractive system but also a reflection system or a catadioptric system. It can also be an inverted image or an erect image.

Further, the illumination light IL is not limited to argon fluoride excimer laser light (wavelength 193 nm), and may be ultraviolet light such as krypton fluoride (KrF) excimer laser light (wavelength 248 nm) or fluorine (F2) laser light ( Vacuum ultraviolet light of a wavelength of 157 nm or the like. For example, as disclosed in the specification of U.S. Patent No. 7,023,610, it is also possible to use a single-wavelength laser light that uses vacuum ultraviolet light as an infrared light band or a visible light band oscillating from a DFB semiconductor laser or a fiber laser, for example, doping 铒 (or 铒The fiber amplifiers of both of them are amplified and converted to higher harmonics of ultraviolet light using non-linear optical crystallization.

Further, the illumination light IL of the exposure apparatus of the above embodiment is not limited to light having a wavelength of 100 nm or more, and of course, light having a wavelength of less than 100 nm may be used. For example, the above embodiment can be applied to an EUV (EUV) light EUV exposure apparatus using a soft X-ray region (for example, a wavelength band of 5 to 15 nm). Further, the above embodiment can also be applied to an exposure apparatus using a charged particle beam such as an electron beam or an ion beam.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, a light-transmitting type mask (a reticle) in which a predetermined light-shielding pattern (or a phase pattern or a light-reducing pattern) is formed on a light-transmitting substrate is used, but the marking may be replaced. An electronic mask (including a variable shaped mask, an active mask (active) that forms a transmissive pattern or a reflective pattern or an illuminating pattern, according to an electronic material of a pattern to be exposed, as disclosed in the specification of U.S. Patent No. 6,778,257. Mask), or a DMD (Digital Micromirror Device) of a non-light-emitting image display element (spatial light modulator), also known as an image generator. When such a variable forming mask is used, since the stage on which the wafer or the glass plate is mounted is scanned by the variable forming mask, the position of the stage can be measured by using an encoder system, and the above can be obtained. The effect of the embodiment is the same.

Further, as disclosed in, for example, International Publication No. 2001/035168, the above-described exposure apparatus (lithography system) for forming a line and space pattern on the wafer W by forming interference patterns on the wafer W can also be applied. Implementation form.

Further, for example, as disclosed in the specification of U.S. Patent No. 6,611,316, two reticle patterns are synthesized on a wafer via a projection optical system, and double exposure is performed substantially simultaneously on one irradiation region on the wafer by one scanning exposure. The above embodiment can also be applied to the exposure apparatus.

In addition, in the above embodiment, an object to be patterned (irradiation energy beam) The object to be exposed is not limited to the wafer, and may be other objects such as a glass plate, a ceramic substrate, a film member, or a photomask plate.

The use of the exposure apparatus is not limited to the exposure apparatus used for semiconductor manufacturing, and can be widely applied to, for example, an exposure apparatus for liquid crystal for transferring a liquid crystal display element pattern on a square glass plate; or for manufacturing an organic EL, a thin film magnetic head, and an image pickup element. (CCD, etc.), an exposure device such as a micromachine or a DNA wafer. Further, in addition to a micro device such as a semiconductor element, a reticle or a mask used for manufacturing a light exposure device, an EUV exposure device, an X-ray exposure device, and an electron beam exposure device is used in a glass substrate or a germanium wafer. The above embodiment can also be applied to the exposure apparatus of the upper transfer circuit pattern.

In addition, the disclosures of all the publications, the international publication, the U.S. Patent Application Publications, and the U.S. Patent Specification, which are incorporated herein by reference, are incorporated herein by reference.

The electronic device of the semiconductor component or the like is: a step of performing the function and performance design of the device; a step of fabricating the reticle according to the design step; a step of fabricating the wafer from the bismuth material; and an exposure device (pattern formation by the above embodiment) Device) and its exposure method, the process of transferring the pattern of the mask (the reticle) to the lithography of the wafer; the step of developing the exposed wafer; and removing the residual portion of the resist by etching The etching step of the exposed member; the resist removal step of removing the unnecessary resist after etching; the device assembly step (including the cutting process, the bonding process, and the packaging process); and the inspection step and the like. In this case, since the lithography step is performed by performing the above-described exposure method using the exposure apparatus of the above-described embodiment, the device pattern is formed on the wafer, so that a device having a high degree of productivity can be manufactured with good productivity.

[Industrial Availability]

As explained above, the exposure apparatus of the present invention is suitable for exposing an object by an energy beam. Further, the device manufacturing method of the present invention is suitable for manufacturing an electronic device.

8‧‧‧Local liquid immersion device

10‧‧‧Lighting system

12‧‧‧Base

13‧‧‧ reticle jammer

14A, 14B‧‧‧ platform

15‧‧‧Mobile mirror

32‧‧‧Nozzle unit

40‧‧‧Mirror tube

50‧‧‧Terminal device

50a, 50b‧‧‧ head unit

71‧‧‧Measurement rod

74a, 74b‧‧‧ hanging support members

99‧‧‧Alignment device

100‧‧‧Exposure device

102‧‧‧Bottom surface

191‧‧‧Top lens

200‧‧‧Exposure Station

300‧‧‧Measurement station

BD‧‧‧ main frame

FLG‧‧‧Flange

IA‧‧‧ exposed area

IAR‧‧‧Lighting area

IL‧‧‧Lights

Lq‧‧‧Liquid

PL‧‧‧Projection Optical System

PU‧‧‧projection unit

R‧‧‧ reticle

RA1, RA2‧‧‧ reticle alignment system

RST‧‧‧ reticle stage

TCa‧‧‧Hose carrier

W‧‧‧ wafer

WST1‧‧‧ Wafer Stage

WST2‧‧‧ Wafer Stage

AX‧‧‧ optical axis

Claims (15)

A measuring device comprising: a moving body having a holding portion provided on one side and a measuring surface provided on the other side, capable of holding an object in the holding portion and moving freely; and a first supporting member a supporting optical system, wherein the optical system is disposed on the one side of the moving body, and irradiates the object with a light beam; the first measuring system includes a light receiving member, and the position information of the moving body is obtained from the light received by the light receiving member. The light receiving member is disposed on the other side of the moving body, and receives light that is emitted from the measurement surface by irradiating the measurement surface with the second measurement beam, and the second support member supports the light receiving member. A support member moves relative to each other; and a second measurement system that obtains information relating to the relative positions of the second support member and the first support member. The measuring device according to claim 1, further comprising a control system that manages a positional relationship between the optical system and the moving body using information related to the relative position. The measuring device according to claim 2, wherein the management includes setting a relative position of the optical system and the moving body to a predetermined positional relationship. The measuring device of claim 3, further comprising a first driving system, wherein the first driving system changes a relative position of the first supporting member and the second supporting member; The aforementioned control system uses the information relating to the aforementioned relative position to control the aforementioned first drive system. The measuring device according to claim 2, wherein the managing comprises: correcting the position information obtained by the first measuring system by using information related to the relative position obtained by the second measuring system; . The measuring device according to claim 5, wherein the control system generates a control signal for controlling movement of the moving body by using the position information of the moving body corrected as described above and information relating to the relative position. The measuring device of claim 6, further comprising a second driving system that changes a relative position of the first supporting member and the second supporting member; the control system uses the aforementioned control signal, The second drive system is controlled to maintain the first support member and the second support member in a designated relationship. The measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the moving body moves along the specified two-dimensional plane by the measuring surface; and the first measuring system determines the moving body in the two-dimensional plane Location information. The measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the irradiation position of the measurement beam irradiated from the measuring member on the measurement surface is in a predetermined positional relationship with the irradiation position of the beam light irradiated from the optical system. The measuring device according to claim 9, wherein the moving body is previously The measurement surface moves along a predetermined two-dimensional plane; in the two-dimensional plane, the measurement beam is irradiated onto the measurement surface and coincides with the irradiation position of the beam light irradiated from the optical system. The measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the second measuring system illuminates the second measuring beam from one of the first supporting member and the second supporting member to the other side, and receives the second measuring beam. Returning the light and finding information about the relative position described above. The measuring device according to claim 1, wherein, in relation to the second supporting member, both end portions of the second supporting member are respectively opposed to the first supporting member in a specified axial direction; and the second measuring system has a pair of the second measuring members provided on one of both end portions of the first supporting member and the second supporting member, and using the output of the pair of second measuring members to determine the second supporting member Position information of the first support member. The measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the moving body moves along the specified two-dimensional plane with the measuring surface; the measuring surface is provided with a grating, and the grating is parallel to the two-dimensional plane. The periodic direction is included; the measuring member includes an encoder head that illuminates the measuring beam with the grating to receive diffracted light from the grating. The measuring device according to claim 13, wherein the second measuring The system obtains position information of six degrees of freedom direction, wherein the six degrees of freedom direction includes: a first axis direction and a second axis orthogonal to each other in the two-dimensional plane of the second support member with respect to the first support member direction. The measuring device according to claim 14, wherein the first measuring system measures position information of the moving body when at least three are not on the same straight line.